I remember sitting in a casting room back in 2007 and counting. One, two, three—fifteen young women, almost indistinguishable. Same height, same hip measurement, same skin tone. We called it “classic beauty” back then, but honestly? We were just running a stencil over every candidate. I’ve spent more than two decades in model scouting and development, and I can say without hesitation that the conversation has changed. The runway isn’t a monochrome parade anymore. But if you think the job is finished, come backstage with me for a single season. You’ll spot the gaps in about five minutes.
The Shift From Tokenism to Visibility
For years, the industry ran on a quiet quota system. One Black model. One Asian model. Maybe a curve model if the designer was in a good mood. Casting directors ticked a box and called it representation. That was the rhythm of the early 2010s, and it was exhausting.
We’ve moved past that, somewhat. Brands like Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty and Chromat, under Becca McCharen-Tran, started building entire casting philosophies around bodies you actually see in the real world. Their runways put models with disabilities, models across the gender spectrum, and a real range of sizes front and center. Not as a stunt. As a structural decision. It forced competitors to squint at their own casting briefs and wonder if they’d been phoning it in.
The numbers are mixed, and I won’t pretend otherwise. The Fashion Spot’s seasonal diversity reports show racial representation on the runway climbed from about 17% nonwhite models in 2015 to over 45% by 2023. That’s a measurable jump, and I refuse to wave it away. But the same reports say curve and plus-size representation hovered around 5% during that stretch, and models over 50 were barely a blip. Visibility isn’t equity. We’re still deciding who gets to be seen.
Where the Pipeline Breaks Down
Scouting is my territory, so I’ll be blunt: the pipeline is leaking badly. Most agencies still recruit from a short list of cities—Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Milan. When they do wander further, they send scouts trained to hunt for a specific prototype. Tall. Lean. Symmetrical. That instinct isn’t neutral. It filters out entire ethnic features, body types, and physical abilities before a candidate ever steps in front of a lens.
I’ve watched scouts pass over a Somali girl with bone structure that could stop traffic because they couldn’t classify her look. I’ve seen a Native American model told to straighten her hair for every single go-see. These aren’t flukes. They’re symptoms of a scouting culture that hasn’t done the internal work to unlearn its factory settings.
Then there’s the agent education problem. Too many bookers still tell models of color to “be ready for less work” or to “stay patient” while their white counterparts get pushed hard. That advice is wrapped in realism, but it reinforces the exact barriers we claim we’re knocking down. The pipeline won’t fix itself until the people running it admit they’re part of the clog.
The Problem With “Market Demand”
Every time I bring this up at industry panels, someone in a blazer trots out market demand. “Clients want what sells,” they say. “We follow the data.” Let’s pick that apart. For decades, clients swore Black models wouldn’t sell covers. Then Beverly Johnson, Iman, and Naomi Campbell happened. The market didn’t have some spontaneous awakening—it got dragged into reacting to undeniable success.
Now we hear the same tune about curve models, trans models, and models with visible disabilities. The data argument is a loop. Brands don’t book them because they claim there’s no demand, but demand never materializes because the models never get the platform. I’ve seen campaigns with a single curve model pull triple the engagement of standard ones. Consumers are yelling for representation. The industry is cupping its hands over its ears.
The Tokenism That Remains
Here’s a scene I see way too often. A big fashion house hires one Black model for a campaign. She shows up in 3 of 18 images. The press release mentions her name once, almost as a footnote. The brand then points to that campaign for two years as proof of its commitment to diversity. That’s tokenism wearing a designer coat.
Real diversity demands consistency. It means casting a range of models across multiple seasons, not just during Black History Month or Pride. It means putting models of color, plus-size models, and models with disabilities in the front row of the runway, not hidden halfway down the lineup. It means paying them the same rates and giving them the same editorial shots. I can count on one hand the luxury brands that hit that mark consistently.
Behind the Camera Matters Too
We also need to talk about who’s making the decisions. Diversity in front of the camera loses its teeth if the photographers, creative directors, and stylists remain overwhelmingly white and slim. A Black model shot by a photographer who doesn’t understand how to light dark skin looks washed out or muddy. A curve model styled by someone who only knows how to drape a size-2 body will feel awkward and look it. The conversation about modeling diversity is half-baked until we face the sameness of the people holding the cameras and clipboards.
I’ve worked with photographers who genuinely study lighting for all skin tones, and I’ve worked with ones who shrug and blame the model when the shots fall flat. Guess which ones get hired again? The industry needs to make technical competence a basic requirement, not a specialty add-on.
What Real Progress Would Look Like
I’m not a pessimist. I’ve seen too much change to think we’re stuck. But I am impatient, and I think the industry needs to hear that impatience loud and clear. Real progress would look like agencies recruiting actively from underrepresented regions and communities, not waiting for them to wander in. Casting briefs that specify a genuine range of sizes, ethnicities, ages, and abilities from day one, not as a last-minute tweak. Brands holding their casting directors accountable with public, measurable goals.
It would also mean changing how we talk about beauty. I want fewer articles describing a model as “breaking barriers” just for existing in her body. That language frames her presence as an oddity. She’s not an oddity. She’s a professional doing her job, and the job should have been open to her from the start.
The Role of Smaller Agencies and Boutiques
Some of the most interesting work is happening outside the big agencies. Smaller boutiques and regional shops are signing talent the power players miss. They’re building rosters that actually reflect their communities. I follow several of these agencies closely, and their models often get scooped up by larger firms later—after they’ve already built a solid portfolio. That tells me the big agencies are still reactive, not proactive.
If you’re a new model reading this, know that you have options. You don’t need to wait for permission from a legacy agency that doesn’t see your worth. Build your book. Find photographers who respect your features. Look for representation that treats you as a full client, not a checkbox.
FAQ
Why does diversity in modeling still feel slow despite visible improvements?
The improvements are real but patchy. Runway shows and campaigns have diversified racially, but size, age, and disability representation still lag way behind. Many brands make surface-level changes without rethinking their casting processes or decision-making teams. Until the pipeline from scouting to booking gets rebuilt, progress will stay uneven.
What can aspiring models from underrepresented backgrounds do to break in?
Research agencies that have a real track record of representing diverse talent, not just a statement on their site. Look at their roster over several seasons. Build a portfolio with photographers who know how to work with your specific features. Think about starting with a reputable boutique agency that will invest in your development instead of treating you like a quota hire. Persistence matters, but so does finding allies inside the system.
Are consumers actually demanding more diverse representation, or is this a media narrative?
Consumer demand is measurable and steady. Social media engagement on campaigns with diverse models routinely beats homogeneous ones. Market research from firms like McKinsey and Nielsen shows brands with authentic representation see higher purchase intent across demographics. The demand is there. The lag is on the supply side, where risk-averse executives still default to outdated assumptions about what sells.
We’re in an awkward adolescence as an industry. The old guard hasn’t loosened its grip, and the new guard is still scrapping for the keys. I believe the direction is right, but the pace is maddening. Every season that goes by with half-hearted casting is a season where talent stays invisible. I plan to keep pushing, and I hope you will too.