'A definitive backslide.' Inside fashion's worrying runway trend

Summary

The article examines a decline in body-size diversity on Fall-Winter 2023 fashion runways in New York, London, Milan, and Paris, alongside growing public attention to prescription weight-loss drugs. Data cited from Tagwalk indicate that mid- and plus-size model appearances fell 24% compared with Spring-Summer 2023, while Vogue Business reported that 95.6% of looks were presented in a US 0–4 size range. This contrasts with earlier efforts by brands including Fendi, Erdem, and Valentino to feature broader body types. Fashion professionals Mina White and Francesca Burns attribute the lack of representation partly to the cost and inconvenience of producing larger sample garments, while critics argue that major brands use plus-size celebrities for publicity without offering comparable runway or retail inclusion. Smaller labels and selected designers, including Esther Manas, Christian Siriano, and Di Petsa, continued to feature more diverse casts. The article also discusses Wegovy, Ozempic, and other appetite-suppressing medications, noting their increasing visibility, potential off-label use for aesthetic weight loss, costs, shortages, and side effects. Advocates warn that renewed cultural pressure toward extreme thinness could intensify as these drugs become more accessible. The article concludes with calls for industry-wide standards and greater responsibility from major fashion institutions.