Fabulous full-figured models like Ashley Graham are proof that women who aren't straight-sized are finally getting more visibility in the fashion industry, but we still have a long way to go. Case in point: Ashley Graham wasn't able to attend last year's Met Gala - and it didn't have anything to do whether or not she received an invitation.
In her cover interview for New York Magazine, Graham opened up about not being able to attend the Met Gala last year, even though she was "on hold" (in other words, she was likely going to score an invitation), for the biggest fashion event of the year. The reason? She couldn't find a designer willing to dress her in time. Seriously.
"I couldn't get a designer to dress me,” she told the magazine. “You can’t just show up in jeans and a T-shirt.”
While Graham also says that the fact that most designers only make straight sizes was likely a factor, and that there wasn't tons of time for a custom gown to be made, it's kind of not okay that Graham's (healthy!) size would require a custom gown to be made in the first place.
The story has a happy ending though, because Graham was able to attend this year's Met Gala, slaying the haters while looking flawless in a H&M couture gown nonetheless. According to Graham, "Rihanna said I looked ‘hot as fuck,'" so basically, I don't need to explain further, because Rihanna's opinion is the only one that matters when it comes to fashion. Obviously.
