sarah hersom

Inclusivity has been one of fashion’s favorite buzzwords for the better part of a decade. But after another Paris Men’s Fashion Week where runways largely stayed loyal to the same narrow beauty ideals, Paris still lags behind when it comes to size inclusivity. The model archetype on most major runways continues to skew tall and thin, with plus-size representation all too often missing from view. With Women’s Fashion Week on the horizon in September, there is a growing sense that Paris needs to catch up or risk appearing tone-deaf to the demands of a new generation of consumers.

The real question is why Paris Fashion Week remains so stubbornly resistant to dressing the people who actually exist beyond its runways. The conversation around body inclusivity has gained momentum globally, yet Paris, long seen as fashion’s crown jewel, still seems reluctant to reflect that change. Granted, Men’s Fashion Week has never been at the forefront of the size inclusivity movement. In many cases, casting choices feel frozen in time, echoing what we saw 20 years ago, even as we now live in an era that champions inclusivity and representation. The only real exception comes when they cast a celebrity, as seen this season with NFL wide receiver Stefon Diggs and Twitch streamer Marlon Garcia both walking for Willy Chavarria, or Afrobeats singer Rema walking for the 424 Inc x Porsche show.