To help shed light on the fashion industry's diversity problem, Instgram has launched a new initiative called #RunwayForAll. Each day this week, the social media app will share the story of a model who is "redefining industry standards" along with the hashtag on its account, which boosts 162 million followers.
Instagram kicked off the initiative with Mama Cax, a Haitian model and blogger who had her leg amputated at age 18. "Eight years ago, after getting my leg amputated, the idea of being a model was even more far-fetched," Cax writes in a caption. "The majority of humans do not look like the mainstream idea of beauty. One of the greatest barriers is not belonging. Through modeling I hope to show that beauty does not always wear a size zero and beauty does not always walk on two limbs."
Studies have shown that the majority of models who are cast for events like New York Fashion Week continue to be mostly white, thin, and able-bodied. Luckily, there have been many industry activists, like agent Bethann Hardison, who are working towards changing the status quo.
Cox's was followed by Shaun Ross, a well-known model with albinism, on Tuesday. "I remember when I first entered the industry all I saw were models that looked the same,” he wrote. “Now here we are almost 10 years later, and I see the choice I’ve made has helped the industry to see beauty in many ways, such as casting models and rising icons like Winnie Harlow, Jillian Mercado and more to help lead the fight with me to diversity.”
Plus-size model Clementine Desseaux, runway model Londone Myers, and Jillian Mercado, a model with muscular dystrophy, will be featured throughout the week.
“Our goal is to highlight some of the bravest and most creative models on Instagram who are building their own audiences and telling their own stories,” Kristen Joy Watts, fashion and arts community lead at Instagram, told Refinery29. “These breakout stars aren't conforming to the industry's traditional mold, and in fact, are redefining it."
This isn't the first time the social media platform has been used to create discourse around inclusivity in fashion. Accounts like @moremodelsofcolor, which was launched in 2015, and hashtags like #blackmodelsmatter and #NYFW4All have been used to recognize a diverse cast of models that are often ignored by the industry.
Instagram did not immediately reply to Complex's request for comment.
