Whether you’re watching from the front row or via live stream, the casting of a fashion show sets the rhythm, the proportions of the clothes, and the overall impression a brand leaves behind. But predominantly thin casts, with the occasional curve model or a handful of mid-size looks, made for a disappointing Fall/Winter 2026 season when it came to size inclusivity.
Casting directors sit between the brands and their stylists, and the models and their agents. From this vantage point, directors have a clear view of the realities of size inclusivity on the runway: how it works, who calls the shots, and what would truly drive change.
This season, size inclusivity dropped to the lowest it’s been since we started trackings runway representation three years ago. Of the 7,817 looks presented across 182 shows and presentations, 97.6% were straight-size (US 0-4), 2.1% were mid-size (US 6-12), and 0.3% were plus-size (US 14+).
Size inclusivity on the runway fell again this season, highlighting how far the industry still has to go.
“At times, it can feel like size inclusivity is treated as a moment or a trend, rather than a permanent shift in how the industry approaches representation,” says Hollie Schliftman, who cast Christian Siriano’s show this season (which ranked third in New York), and has been working in the industry for around 20 years. “Fashion has always had an aspirational element to it, but true aspiration should also reflect the reality of the world we live in. The majority of women are not a size 0 or 2 — not even a 4. Most fall somewhere closer to sizes 8, 10, or 12, and that reality deserves to be consistently represented on runways and in campaigns.”
As fashion becomes more visible, the stakes are higher. “Runways get a lot of mainstream media attention now, so a lot of people are actually going to see it,” says Emma Matell, who cast shows including Lueder, Tolu Coker, and Cecilie Bahnsen this season. “Back in the day, it was like the fashion industry had its own weird standards. Now, it affects the general population much more because they can essentially sit front row via a live stream.”
“What’s saddest about the regression in inclusion is that we are watching the erasure of women’s bodies take place,” says Chloe Rosolek, who cast Karoline Vitto’s FW26 show (which was the most inclusive show across this season’s rankings). “Either you have to conform so you can compete and still work as a model, or you’re sat on the sidelines. There’s still obviously a huge market for [the clothes] — most people are not a sample size. It just seems that the luxury market is so fatphobic that it is unwilling to change whatsoever.”
While Schliftman highlights a number of designers making efforts, she says that inconsistency undermines progress: “It needs to become a lasting part of the industry’s framework. Representation needs to become less of a statement and more of a standard.”
How sample sizes shape the runway
Casting directors agree that creative directors — and the photographers and stylists they work with — hold the power in the casting process. “Designers ultimately make the final decisions, but there is absolutely space [for casting directors] to advocate for a wider range of bodies. The designers who are most receptive are the ones who already understand that women — and people in general — are not one size,” says Schliftman. “In the best situations, casting is a true collaboration. Rather than a top-down directive of ‘this is exactly how it has to be’, it becomes a partnership between the designer, the creative team, and the casting director.”
In practice, that’s not always the case. Runway collectsions are typically developed in standard sample sizes with tight casting timelines. While some designers build collectsions around casting or incorporate size-adjustable pieces, these approaches remain the exception. More often, inclusivity is constrained by production realities — or deprioritized altogether. “It’s often about trying to fit people into the clothes,” says Matell. “At the end of the day, if a brand’s made the whole collectsion on a mannequin that’s straight up and down it leaves very little flexibility for me to say, ‘It would be nice to have more curve models.’” Rather than a single creative choice, casting often reflects a broader set of priorities shaped by design, merchandising, and production.
Despite logistical challenges, the fact that some brands still make it work raises the question of why others don’t. “It’s unfair to rely on these emerging brands to drive size inclusivity, when the big fashion houses have the most resources to [deal with the complex logistics],” says Rosolek. “Designers struggling and working out of small studios are making it work, but the people in power don’t want to see that change.”
There may be more opportunities for designers to push for more inclusivity in campaigns. Casting director Barbara Pfister — who has worked with Calvin Klein, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton — says there are fewer logistical hurdles. “With the shows, it’s all so rushed,” she says. “But when you have a campaign, the stylist can actually go and get the sizes they need for a job two weeks in advance.”
The curve talent pipeline
Despite the lack of representation, casting directors are clear that there is no shortage of curve talent. “The talent pool of curve models has grown significantly in recent years. Most major agencies now have dedicated curve divisions, particularly in New York,” says Schliftman, highlighting the opportunity to expand across other markets.
The missing piece is how brands deploy that talent. “It doesn’t make sense for [curve girls] to travel to only book one show,” says Matell. “Or agents want to keep their top curve girls for only the biggest shows.” This creates a cycle: limited opportunities reduce participation, which in turn limits who is available to cast.
To fill those gaps, casting directors often look to street casting. But even street casting can come with constraints. “If you have a show that has more diverse casting — it could be from street casting, or just more curve models — the model agents a lot of the time won’t want to support it with their best girls, because they don’t want those girls to be seen next to less important models,” says Matell. The dynamic reflects the hierarchies often present in fashion, where exclusivity still carries weights. “It’s not just the agents, it’s the stylists, the designers — everyone,” she adds.
There are economic realities for curve models to confront, too. “I know girls who are making huge money, because they have one commercial client who’s essentially paying their rent,” says Rosolek. “But if you’re relying on high fashion to carry your career, you’re more likely to suffer as a curve model.” With fewer opportunities to walk multiple shows, curve models are limited in both their visibility and cumulative earnings. Without guaranteed bookings, the runway becomes a less rational source of income.
Matell says she’s seen examples of models being sent home from Paris Fashion Week by their agents because their hip measurements are three centimeters too big. “In some ways, it’s a reflection of the brands — that’s the agent saying, ‘Don’t waste your money being in town if you’re not going to book any shows.’ It would be in the agent’s best interest to keep her there if they thought she’d get booked, because they’d make money.”
A return to past ideals
Beyond structural constraints, casting directors point to a cultural and aesthetic shift. “We’re experiencing more conservative politics, and that’s trickling down into a conservative approach to women — including body size,” adds Rosolek.
The rise of GLP-1s has a role to play, too. Rosolek says she knows models who have been sent discounts for GLP-1s from their agents — but it’s not always the case that a model has lost weight because of a GLP-1. In many cases, the culture that has allowed weight loss medications to proliferate is what puts pressure on models to become thinner. And that culture — those beauty standards — have long been perpetuated by the fashion industry. “It’s not so much Ozempic driving the tastes in fashion, but more the other way around,” says Pfister.
This pressure is felt across the spectrum of models, from straight-size to plus-size. “A larger percentage of curve models are now mid-size and only with an hourglass silhouette,” says Rosolek. “And even in the straight-size category, it used to feel that the bodies were getting healthier, but now there’s so much pressure.”
“I do feel that when there was that little boom of inclusivity, it created space for the straight-size models to feel more comfortable, too,” adds Matell. “If half the show is curve models, it sends the message that it’s OK if a straight-size model’s weight fluctuates. If there’s only one curve girl, it sends the message that there’s very little work for those who are bigger.”
Casting directors highlight how important it is for people in the industry to speak up. “People should be speaking up on what they feel is important, and that includes making sure our kids are healthy — teenage girls especially,” says Pfister. “I always let the agent know if someone at the casting doesn’t look well, I’ll tell them to keep an eye on her. But that’s me doing that as one person. [I’ll raise my concerns] and then I’ll see her get booked by one of the best designers in New York.”
For casting directors, these pressures aren’t just an ethical concern, they also have clear commercial implications. “At the end of the day, there are women of all sizes who have money and dress well, and who want to buy your clothes,” says Rosolek. “It doesn’t make sense for the industry to be so fatphobic that it’s essentially turning down money.”
