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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 13 May 2017

Ashley Graham is a woman with curves but

don’t say plus-size

ALICIA RANCILIO inclusivity era and it’s race, feelings of designers not
Associated Press it’s age, it’s gender, it’s size. dressing me because of
NEW YORK (AP) — Ashley AP: You’re known for your my size, but if I did ... you’d
Graham may have curves, curves but you’ve been hear about it. (Laughs.)
but she hates the term plus- criticized for photos where AP: You also are a believer
size. “Does any woman re- it appears that you’ve lost in vision boards, which are
ally just come in and say, weight. What do you say to supposed to help people
‘I’m a plus-size woman’? that? focus on specific life goals.
Maybe as a defense mech- Graham: My weight is go- Graham: Vision boards
anism or maybe as a way to ing to go up and down but, are so important. If it’s
kind of cope with fitting into also, nobody can dictate not even an actual vision
society but ... I just think it’s what I’m doing. I’m a true board up in your room,
divisive. I think labeling and size 14, I’m happy with my then write down what you
putting a name on women body, nobody has dicta- want. There’s really some-
in certain categories be- torship over who I am. thing about getting it out In this May 9, 2017 photo, model and author Ashley Graham
cause (of) a (size) number AP: You also write in your and putting (it on) paper or poses for a portrait in New York to promote her book, “A New
inside of their pants isn’t re- book about fashion and a corkboard or whatever Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like.”
ally getting us any farther in curvy girls and how hard your thing is. q Associated Press
life.” She made it into the it is to find great clothes in
mainstream when she ap- bigger sizes.
peared on the cover of the Graham: I don’t know
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit who’s making those
2016 issue. That led to other clothes. I’m ready to come
opportunities, including the out with a line of clothes
cover of Vogue magazine that’s affordable, that’s
and a gig as a judge on for all sizes. The beauty of
“America’s Next Top Mod- being a curvier girl is that
el.” we’re all shaped so differ-
Now Graham has written ently. But it’s sad because
a memoir, “A New Model: I really think there’s a lot of
What Confidence, Beauty designers who do go up to
& Power Really Look Like” a size 22, 24 but buyers are
(Dey Street Books). not buying them because
She talked about her role they don’t think we’re gon-
models, achievements and na come in and buy it. So,
critics in a recent interview it’s a vicious cycle, and I
with The Associated Press. don’t know where it starts
___ and stops ... all I know is I’m
Associated Press: You’re an talking about it and there
advocate for healthy body are some designers who
acceptance. How is the have been very open. Pra-
fashion industry respond- bal Gurung is one who put
ing? curvy girls on the runway.
Graham: The fashion in- Christian Siriano and Mi-
dustry is into it. (Laughs.) I chael Kors, too, so it’s hap-
think what’s really great is pening.
the fashion industry has re- AP: You have a stylist and
ally said, ‘You know what, you know designers. Have
we’re about inclusion right any said they won’t dress
now.’ We’ve had the body you?
era. We’ve had the waif Graham: I haven’t experi-
era, now here we are in the enced firsthand negative