b'Jewelry designer Gwen Beloti showcases diverse models in her size-inclusive campaign imagery, a rarity in the fine jewelry space.brands remain considerably less welcoming.Even as weve seen some really significant strides in ready-to-wear, and especially in fast fashion or global fast fashion, luxury retailers are the notable holdouts whenever it comes to expanding their lines, says plus-size fashion historian Peters.In terms of jewelry, many of the plus-size offerings available are rel-egated to costume jewelry from retailers like Torrid and Lane Bryant.Whenever you have [influential leaders], like the deceased Karl Lagerfeld, saying he would never design for plus-size women, that nobody wants to see them on the runway, its really easy for these other luxury brands to fall in line, says Peters, referring to a controversial interview Lagerfeld gave to German magazine Focus in 2009, as well as other comments throughout his career.Notably, the late Lagerfeld recently was celebrated by the indus-try at large, with his work serving as the theme of the 2023 Met Gala.Many in the plus-size fashion community took the choice as an indication the fashion industry had only a passing interest in being more inclusive.It would take a really shattering cultural reorganization for [the fashion industry] to really embrace plus-size people as equals. I think the closest we came, sadly, was actually the body positivity moment were now exiting, says Peters.The body positivity movement is a social movement focused on the acceptance and cele-bration of all bodies that took hold in the 2010s. Peters notes that pushes for greater size inclu-sivity tend to follow eras of bodily extremes. model (U.S. size 14 and up), accounting for Similar movements have popped up0.6 percent of models, while models sizes 0 to throughout history, including the 1960s fat4 wore 95.6 percent of looks and 3.8 percent liberation movement and the Health at Everywere worn by midsize models (sizes 6 to 12).Size movement, which addresses weight biasNotably, it was emerging designers, not in the healthcare sector. the big names, who were showcasing plus-The first rumblings of size inclusivity insize models.fashion began in the 1980s, says Peters, on the tail end of the second wave of feminism. How- UNNECESSARILY RARE ever, the rise of ultra-thin models followed inGwen Beloti, an emerging jewelry designer, the 1990s and carried into the 2000s. is working to break down the size barrier in The body positivity movement of thefine jewelry.2010s also is on its way out, posits Peters. For the New York-based designer, the Were now entering the era of Y2Kdecision to build a size-inclusive fashion. Ozempic (the drug for diabe- jewelry brand was a personal one.tes patients that aids in weight loss) isBefore transitioning to jewelry, extremely mainstream. So, I think anyWhen I launched my jewelry company, itBeloti was an apparel designer who kind of illusion of body positivity andwas important to me that I consider my ownhad experience struggling to find inclusivity, a lot of brands are goingpersonal experience and my background. Ithe perfect fit. to be abandoning that as we moveknow what it felt like to be left out, to notI have always had issues with fit, forward, unfortunately. feel like I had options.with my weight being up and down Though plus-size models likefor most of my life. I was a heavier Ashley Graham and Paloma ElsesserGwen Beloti, Gwen Beloti Fine Jewelry woman up until early adulthood and, could be found gracing numerouseven now, my weight still fluctuates. runways in recent years, there wereSo, I used to have a really hard time notably fewer this year. finding clothes that fit, she says.Vogue Business analyzed 9,137 looks across 219 runway shows inShe recalls going shopping with friends when she was younger and New York, London, Milan, and Paris during the autumn/winter 2023having limited options.fashion weeks. That was really tough for me not having access to things in the Its research found only 17 brands included at least one plus-sizeway that other people did, she says. Continued on page 5452 RETAILER HALL OF FAME 2023'