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Entertainment July 13, 2017
This plus-size model is making big waves in the fashion industry.
Photo via Instagram / @theashleygrahamAshley Graham is becoming a super celebrity in 2017. From her start as the first plus-size “Sports Illustrated” Swimsuit issue model to her fashion line success, this size-16 beauty is slaying the game.
But there’s so much more to this woman than a pretty face and a beautiful body.
ENTITY is here to share why Ashley Graham is so successful and why we totally love her and the body positive message she delivers to other women.
First and foremost, Ashley Graham will go down in fashion history. In 2016, she became the first plus-size woman to featured on the cover of the “Sports Illustrated” Swimsuit issue. And what’s even better is that she embraced her size and body positivity in her Instagram caption, alongside the cover photo.
“Truly speechless!!! This cover is for every woman who felt like she wasn’t beautiful enough because of her size. You can do and achieve anything you put your mind to,” she wrote. “Thank you so much to the entire @si_swimsuit team! I’m so excited to be a part of your family. I love you all!”
Unfortunately, though, not everyone celebrated her cover photo. Top supermodel and former “Sports Illustrated” covergirl Cheryl Tiegs chastised Graham for being “unhealthy.”
Ashley Graham wasn’t having any of that. She clapped back in an interview with E! News.
“Cheryl Tiegs may have said what she said and it may have hurt a lot of people’s feelings. But my skin is so thick,” she asserted. “I kind of rolled my eyes. I was like, ‘Oh whatever, another one of these ladies.’ But what’s great is that, the fact that she said it, it means that other women think like her. And what that means is that we really need to change the industry.”
She also added that only a doctor can judge her level of healthiness. So take that Tiegs.
Ashley Graham first arrived at the “America’s Next Top Model” team of judges for cycle 23 in late 2016. During cycle 23, Rita Ora stepped in to the host position while Tyra Banks took some time off. But it’s fitting that Banks will return next season with Ashley Graham as a judge for her second cycle.
Why will the two supermodels make a powerful team?
Like Graham, Tyra Banks also made “Sports Illustrated” history 20 years earlier as the first African American model to grace the cover of its swimsuit issue. And this shared connection is what scored Graham the gig in the first place.
Ashley Graham also told PEOPLE that she couldn’t be more excited about Tyra’s return. “I’m so excited to have her there because she is a mentor and she is definitely someone that I look up to,” she said.
Ashley Graham’s Instagram profile is all about body positivity. This beauty displays personal photos that show the realities of her body like cellulite, slight skin folds and imperfect lines.
And she doesn’t stop with her own body. She also highlights the real bodies of other women and shares captions with a common message: every body type is beautiful.
“There is no such thing as perfection, so stop striving for it,” one caption reads on her Instagram.
She also uses her page to promote her fashion lines for plus-size women. One such line is her collection of swimsuits with the brand, “Swimsuits For All.” The sizes range from 4 to 24. “[Swimsuits For All] is giving me life with sexy swimsuits, no matter age, shape or size,” Graham said on her Instagram alongside a photo of her modeling the brand.
Add author to this beauty’s list of accomplishments. Ashley Graham released her first book in May, titled, “A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty and Power Really Look Like.”
In a series of essays, Ashley tells readers about her life before modeling, how she broke into the industry and how she deals with the plethora of haters she faces online. But the highlight of her memoir is the discussion she leads on body image and how definitions are beginning to change in the new generation.
One online reviewer on Amazon raved about the book.
“I read it in its entirety in one sitting. There is nothing more refreshing than reading about someone’s journey when it is so genuine. Raw, including the successes but not leaving out the non-glamourous parts along the way. There is nothing sexier than a confident woman regardless of the vessel you’ve got to work with. Women empowering other women to be [their] very best no matter what.”
Graham also opened up about the intent behind her book in an interview on “Good Morning America.” She said, “I think that the next generation should always be better and better. So that’s why I wanted to share my story.”
The Ashley Graham collection is featured on the fashion brand Addition Elle’s website. She first partnered with the Canadian brand in 2014, and they just released her 15th collection: Purple Rain.
The brand’s website offers a description of Ashley’s new lingerie line:
“Sexy is a state of mind and plus-size supermodel, body activist and lingerie-designer, Ashley Graham, wants to share her sexy vision for lingerie! Featuring luxurious, sensual details, Ashley’s collection features lingerie that’s meant to be seen.”
The brand stays true to this description. Sexy bras, panties and nightwear sets are available from a size X to 4X, which translates to a size range of 12 to 24. And bra sizes range all the way from a 38C to a 42H. The bras are priced at $70. But some of the sets go up to $95.
In addition to advertising the looks on her Instagram, Ashley can be seen modeling all her own designs on the site.
“I’m excited to continue the evolution of my lingerie offering with the Addition Elle team,” she told Daily Mail. “We have worked together for many seasons now to create desirable lingerie for women of all sizes. We remain committed to being the global trendsetter for sexy and supportive lingerie with the new, seductive Purple Rain collection.”
Beautifully done, Ashley. Keep killing the game because we sure love to watch you succeed!
