The Slow March Toward a New Runway Reality
I have spent more than two decades in this industry, and I can tell you exactly when the conversation about diversity in modeling started to shift from whispers to something louder. It was not a single moment but a series of them—backstage conversations, client demands that grew harder to ignore, and a generation of models who refused to let the gatekeepers define their worth by a single standard. The change is real. I see it in castings, in campaigns, and in the faces that now grace magazine covers. But I also see the gaps that remain, and they are wide enough to make anyone who cares about this business stop and ask why we are still having this argument.
The numbers paint a clearer picture than any anecdote. According to data from The Fashion Spot’s seasonal diversity reports, the Fall 2023 runways featured 45.8% models of color, a jump from just 20.9% a decade earlier. That is progress. But when you break it down by specific ethnic groups, the story gets complicated. Black models, for instance, represented 9.6% of castings, which is still below population representation in key markets. Plus-size models hovered around 3.7%, and transgender or non-binary models barely crossed 1%. The headline looks good until you read the fine print.
What the Industry Gets Right Now
I remember when a casting director told me, bluntly, that a client wanted “one Black girl, maximum.” That was not a relic of the 1980s—it was 2012. Today, that same director would lose accounts if he repeated those words. The shift in language and expectation is one of the most concrete gains. Brands face real pressure from consumers who see through tokenism. Social media gave audiences a direct line to call out hypocrisy, and they use it. When a luxury house posts a campaign that is monochromatic, the comments section becomes a referendum. That accountability did not exist fifteen years ago.
The talent pipeline has also broadened. Agencies that once scouted exclusively in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia now have scouts in Lagos, Mumbai, and São Paulo. That matters because it changes who gets seen first. A model like Adut Akech, who fled South Sudan as a child and grew up in a refugee camp, is now a global face for multiple fashion houses. That is not a fluke—it is the result of structural shifts, however imperfect. Casting directors I speak with genuinely want to present a wider vision of beauty, and many have built their reputations on doing exactly that.
Where the Numbers Hide the Truth
The problem is not just who gets booked—it is what they get booked for. A model of color might walk a major runway, but she is often the only one. That is not inclusion; that is a checkbox. When a brand casts one Black model, one Asian model, and one plus-size model in a lineup of thirty, they are doing the bare minimum. I have been in casting rooms where the brief says “diverse,” but the actual selections tell a different story. The models of color are often chosen for their proximity to Eurocentric features—lighter skin, straighter hair, narrower noses. Dark-skinned models, especially those with Afro-centric features, remain severely underrepresented. The same goes for models with visible disabilities: they appear in one-off, “inspirational” campaigns rather than as everyday faces for luxury brands.
Behind the camera, the picture is even starker. Photographers, creative directors, and decision-makers at the highest levels are still overwhelmingly white. A 2022 study by the British Fashion Council found that only 9% of creative directors at London Fashion Week brands were people of color. That number drops further when you look at CEOs. When the people who greenlight campaigns do not reflect the diversity they claim to champion, the results are often shallow. A Black photographer will see a Black model differently—not better, not worse, but with an understanding that cannot be faked by someone who has never lived that experience.
The Economics That Slow Us Down
Money talks, and in modeling, it often speaks in a language that resists change. Clients still cite “market concerns” when they reject diverse casting options. The argument goes that certain markets—China, the Middle East, parts of Eastern Europe—will not respond well to models who do not fit a narrow aesthetic. This is lazy thinking dressed up as business strategy. Global brands sell to global consumers. The same shoppers in Shanghai who buy luxury goods are exposed to diverse imagery through social media and entertainment. They are not going to boycott a handbag because the model holding it has natural hair or brown skin. But the fear persists, and it allows agencies and brands to hide behind a convenient excuse.
There is also the issue of size diversity. Plus-size models have seen gains, but the industry still treats them as a separate category rather than an integrated part of the whole. Brands will launch a “curve” line with its own campaign, its own hashtag, and its own section on the website. That is not inclusion—it is segregation. A size 16 model should walk the same runway, in the same clothes, as a size 2 model, and the clothes should actually fit her. Too often, designers refuse to create samples above a size 6, which automatically excludes most models who are not straight-sized. Until sample sizes change, the numbers will not budge meaningfully.
The Tokenism Trap
I have watched too many models of color be treated as a trend. One season, it is “the Brazilian wave”; the next, it is “Asian faces are in.” This commodification is exhausting and damaging. Models are not trends to be cycled through based on a designer’s whim. When a young Black model is told she is “having a moment,” she also knows that moment has an expiration date. The industry loves a “first”—first Black model to open this show, first transgender model to front that campaign—but it is less enthusiastic about the second, third, and tenth. True diversity means no one is counting anymore because it has become unremarkable.
The solution is not just more casting slots. It is about power. Who owns the agencies? Who runs the magazines? Who chairs the fashion councils? Until those rooms are diversified, the models in front of the lens will always be at the mercy of decisions made by people who do not share their background. I have seen the difference when a brand hires a diverse creative team: the imagery feels grounded, not performative. The models are styled in ways that honor their features instead of erasing them. That is when the work stops feeling like a corporate initiative and starts feeling like art.
What Has to Happen Next
We need binding commitments, not vague pledges. Brands should publish transparent data on their casting and hiring, broken down by race, size, gender identity, and disability status. Several organizations, including the Fashion Spot and the CFDA, have pushed for this, but adoption is voluntary and spotty. Public accountability works. When consumers can see the numbers, they can make informed choices about where to spend their money. Silence allows the status quo to continue.
Sample sizes must expand, and that burden should fall on designers, not models. If a brand cannot produce a size 14 sample, they are not a serious player in the conversation about body diversity. Fashion schools need to teach pattern-making for a range of bodies from day one. The problem starts in the training, not just the boardroom. And agencies must stop treating diverse models as a specialty division. A model is a model. Her ethnicity, size, or ability should not determine whether she is filed under “main board” or some segregated category.
Mentorship programs matter, but they are not enough on their own. I want to see more direct investment: brands funding scholarships for photographers and stylists from underrepresented backgrounds, agencies opening offices in underrepresented regions and actually developing local talent instead of just scouting the thinnest, tallest kids. The pipeline is not broken—it was built to narrow specifications. We need a new pipeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the modeling industry actually becoming more diverse, or is it just marketing?
Both things are true. The numbers have improved, especially on runways and in campaign imagery, but a lot of the progress is surface-level. When you look at who holds power behind the scenes or how consistently diverse models are booked beyond token appearances, the picture is far less encouraging. The industry has gotten very good at selling the idea of diversity without fully committing to its harder demands.
Why do sample sizes matter so much for diversity?
Sample sizes are the gatekeeper. Most high-fashion samples are cut to a size 2 or 4, which instantly excludes the vast majority of models who are not straight-sized. If a designer refuses to make larger samples, they effectively ban curvier models from their shows, no matter what their casting brief says. Expanding sample sizes is one of the most direct, practical steps a brand can take to back up its words.
What can consumers do to push for faster change?
Consumers have more power than they realize. Pay attention to which brands consistently cast diverse models in meaningful roles, not just as tokens. Support those brands with your wallet and your voice. Call out the ones that fall short—not with vague anger, but with specific questions about their data and their teams. The pressure of public accountability has already moved the needle; sustained pressure will move it further.
Are there any legal or regulatory efforts to improve diversity in fashion?
There have been some moves, but they are limited. In the United States, New York State passed legislation in 2022 requiring models to receive more workplace protections, which indirectly supports a broader range of models. In France, there have been discussions about regulating model health standards, but these often focus on weight extremes rather than proactive inclusion. Most progress has come from voluntary industry pledges rather than hard law. Without enforceable standards, the work remains largely optional—and that is part of the problem.
The runway has changed since I started, and I am grateful for that. But gratitude does not mean acceptance. I want a modeling industry where the question of diversity feels outdated, where a young model from anywhere can look at a campaign and see herself without having to search for the one image that was crafted to include her. We are not there yet, and the pace of change is too slow for the talent waiting at the door. It is time to stop patting ourselves on the back and start doing the work that lasts.