The fashion industry seemed to be inching towards a new era of inclusivity. Then came a wave of weight-loss drugs and the demonisation of ‘wokeness’ …
In 2021, Skye Standley was considered one of modelling’s rising stars. With her beautiful face, curves and distinctive red hair, she was in demand: she appeared in advertising campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, the Danish label Ganni and Rihanna’s brand Savage X Fenty. Last year, she was appearing in roundups of ones to watch, alongside established “curve” or plus-size models – typically a size 12 and above – such as Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser, who were predicted to be “everywhere”. In reality, it was one of her toughest years.
“The past two years have been really challenging,” says Standley. “I think there’s been a lot of erasure all around. I’ve noticed a lot less work.” She only worked a couple of times last year, she says, “compared with the two years before, where I was working continuously. I’ve definitely noticed, when it comes to [London] fashion week, there being no castings, and throughout the year, just a lot of regression, even from brands I’ve worked with. I spent all of last year trying to find a way to navigate everything that was changing with the industry.” Just over three weeks ago, Standley left her agency.
