Key facts
- Sinéad O’Dwyer’s Fashion in Motion show at the V&A Museum featured models of all shapes and sizes.
- O'Dwyer uses a size 18 sample size, challenging the industry's typical size 4-8.
- The event was open to the public for a £5 ticket, aligning with O'Dwyer's inclusive brand ethos.
- Despite some progress, body diversity in fashion has reportedly stalled, with a recent report finding 97.6% of models were 'straight-size'.
- Industry professionals suggest a cultural shift and the influence of weight loss drugs have contributed to a renewed focus on thinness.
Sinéad O’Dwyer’s recent Fashion in Motion show at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum challenged conventional fashion industry standards by prominently featuring models of diverse body types and offering public access for a nominal fee.
The show, which included performers and models showcasing a range of clothing from underwear to skirt suits, highlighted O'Dwyer's long-standing commitment to inclusivity. Since her 2021 London Fashion Week debut, O'Dwyer has advocated for broader representation, using a size 18 for her sample garments, a significant departure from the industry's typical size 4-8.
Friday's event was deliberately open to the public for £5, a move O'Dwyer stated aligns with her brand's ethos, which she feels is more appropriate for everyone than the exclusive luxury fashion system. This approach contrasts with the broader fashion landscape, where progress in body diversity appears to have stalled. A recent Vogue Business report indicated that for the Autumn/Winter 2026 season, 97.6% of models were 'straight-size' (UK 4-8).
Industry professionals, including stylist Jeanie Annan-Lewin and casting director Emma Matell, have observed a trend back towards thinness, linking it to broader cultural shifts and the increasing use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Matell noted a sentiment of women being expected to 'take up less space' both metaphorically and physically.
Despite these challenges, London Fashion Week remains a space where body diversity is more consistently featured, though still not dominant. O'Dwyer, alongside designers like Mark Fast and Chopova Lowena, is seen as carrying the effort for greater inclusivity. O'Dwyer believes that visibility of diverse models in luxury fashion is powerful, recalling her own youth where she felt an unexplained desire to be a size 6.
Experts like Lucy Maguire from Vogue Business point to surveys showing that a significant majority of mid-size and plus-size respondents feel alienated by the fashion industry, highlighting a substantial missed commercial opportunity. Annan-Lewin criticizes the industry's assumption that plus-size individuals lack disposable income for luxury goods. The consensus among those interviewed is that financial support for brands aiming to increase size diversity is crucial to overcome ingrained fatphobia and drive meaningful change.