I think the fashion industry and the media industry in general have a responsibility to make sure that they celebrate the rich differences in all our backgrounds to make sure we don't fall into the trap of reducing beauty to one specific mold.
— Philomena Kwao
It's refreshing to see plus women being treated as part of the fashion community as a whole and not just a separate piece or separate different thing.
Health management is my passion, and I hope to further my career in that area in the future.
I try and work out as much as I can because when you exercise, it releases endorphins and makes you feel really good. I also make sure I schedule time with my friends, family, and loved ones because I realize that, as well as your physical well-being, you have to look out for your mental well-being, too.
New York City is one of the best cities in the world for walking: it's virtually impossible to get lost.
It's refreshing when plus-size styling is exciting and pushes boundaries rather than safe and boring.
Women of all ethnicities, complexions, and sizes want to be able to wear makeup and nice clothes. No one wants to go out and feel like they're substandard or that there's only one mold that they don't fit.
Fast fashion, whilst having increased the accessibility of stylish clothes for millions, has unfortunately resulted in many horrific practises, such as child labour, that exploit millions of people around the world in poorer, developing countries. This something that has to change, and we can all start by reflecting on where our clothes come from.
I am from Ghana, and although Ghana is celebrated as a relatively peaceful country in a historically war-torn region, the issues of development and recovery are still apparent.
I grew up in the U.K. and now reside in the United States, and my family is from Ghana.
It isn't hard to see how the lack of representation affects the self esteem of many women world wide.
Before I went to boarding school, I had never read a fashion magazine. I grew up on a council estate in London, and fashion magazines were a luxury item that weren't even on my mind. The closest I got to a fashion magazine was my cousin's 'Top of the Pops' magazines, where we would learn the lyrics to every song and put posters on our walls.
I have to congratulate L'Oreal on its True Match foundation range. It's my go-to foundation, and I absolutely love it.
When I started, there was only one other girl that I could name that was even close to my shade. I didn't understand why there weren't more black plus-size models with darker skin tones. It feels like the final frontier of beauty is to be black, to be plus, to have natural hair.
Torrid has given me an amazing opportunity. I can reach out to different girls and help them realize that they are beautiful, too.
I try not to assign labels to myself. Sometimes I shop in the plus section, and sometimes I don't. I feel we attach too much significance to labels, and ultimately, it doesn't really matter.
You can't say you're inclusive when you only have one plus-size, hourglass white model.
Plus-sized women have been told for so long to cover up. Whether it's with a one-piece, a tankini, a bikini with a skirt, high-waisted things, we're always told to hide these things that society calls flaws.
I want to use my voice to better health care for pregnant women.
My mom and my sisters have helped me to be comfortable with who I am. It's a process of loving yourself as you are. I can say that it's been a journey. I see the changes little by little.
One misconception I think is wrong is that being a larger size means, somehow, that you're neglecting your body, or you don't look after yourself, or you don't love yourself enough to lose weight. We've been saturated with the idea that to be happy you must be thin, or to be healthy you must be thin.
I try my best to stay healthy by paying attention to the ingredients in foods and trying to make sure my food is organic and not full of sugar or preservatives. I also try to do at least 30 minutes of cardio every day in the gym.
'Sports Illustrated' has set the standard for what a swimsuit model should be. For a magazine that has that much influence to include models of different body types on their pages shows that they're breaking down old beauty ideals while opening the doors of diversity and inclusivity.
The curvy community has really given me a voice because people want to see someone who looks like they do. They want to know their beauty is valid.
Women need to be empowered to shape their own livelihoods and become CEOs of their own lives. They must be allowed to take control of important life decisions that are so often decided by others.
Women are hit especially hard in regions of ongoing conflict. Before, during, and after conflict, women bear the brunt of the consequences of war. They are left as the providers and guardians, responsible for rebuilding their country one family at a time.
No woman anywhere should be denied access to quality healthcare because of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
Much noise has been about size diversity but not enough about skin tone diversity. It's time for this to change.
My best advice is to celebrate your own unique features and never put them down. There is beauty in individuality, and it's so important to appreciate everything your body allows you to do. It's OK to have a down day - we all do from time to time - but it's not OK to compare yourself to others.
For me, less is more. I don't often wear makeup, but when I do, a little concealer and some powder go a long way.
Growing up, I had body confidence issues, not really so much because of size but my skin color. I had trouble recognizing that the depth of my skin tone is really beautiful because whenever people referred to a beautiful black-skinned woman, you'd see Beyonce and Rihanna.
I believe I'm beautiful because I'm me. I also believe that if you can find beauty in everything, you can allow that to change your mind-set, and doing so makes you a happier person.
My journey into modeling began completely by chance. I was in school finishing up my master's degree in health management and policy when a friend entered me into an online modeling competition.
Everyone needs to realize the responsibility they hold and realize where they can make a difference.
I think, for so long, women of different sizes have been pigeonholed, and with every campaign, it's always an adaptation of making fashion but for plus sizes. Sometimes it's in a little bit of a negative way, and plus is always a little bit slow to be fashion forward.
My goal is always to help other women with programs that help them live better lives, especially is areas where health care is missing. Both of my parents are from Ghana, where there is a need for health care in the smaller villages.
I have a green juice every day because it makes me feel more awake; it makes my skin healthier.
Beauty, to me, is not a physical thing. It's a feeling.
I've inherited so much culture, beauty, and love, and I'm the perfect mix of Philomena.
We have spent so many years looking at images of another beauty ideal and so many years taking in magazine covers and films that represent a beauty standard that we'll never meet. People don't realize that there are makeup artists and hairstylists behind the scenes - even in something as simple as a 'candid' Instagram photo.
For me, diverse beauty is an affirmation of every single person in his or her own skin.
While education is hugely important, the ways in which women are portrayed in their communities are equally important. Portraying women as victims keeps women in a captive space and denies them of their agency: their ability to fight back and take ownership of their situation.
My mother was born in Ghana, but she moved to the U.K. when my sisters and I were born.
War and armed conflict disproportionately affect women and can turn what is supposed to be a joyous and beautiful experience - childbirth - into a horrific or even fatal one.
Magazines don't go far enough to be inclusive and have at least have one model representing every major skin tone.
My hair is extremely dry and fragile, so moisture is key. I love black castor oil, shea butter, and lots of water.
There's not many models in the U.S. that have my depth - like, really dark skin - that are also plus size. Skin color has been one of those things we haven't really, really addressed on a large, widespread scale.
I think that the plus-size industry has been great with size diversity, but it hasn't really been great for skin tone diversity.
There is beauty everywhere. But if I had to narrow it down, I absolutely adore Beyonce. She's the ultimate icon for me. I also love Naomi CampbelI, Jourdan Dunn, Joan Smalls, Daria Werbowy, and Genevieve Nnaji.
Because of social media, it's bridged the gap between the advertisers and fashion and allowed people to find their group. It really widens what people are viewing and allows brands to see what the public wants to see.
