Instagram is Calling Out Fashion’s Lack of Diversity With #RunwayForAll

Instagram has sparked a new conversation around the fashion industry, focusing on diversity in modelling.

Earlier this week, it launched a new hashtag called #RunwayForAll, which shares the stories of diversity in fashion and the men and women that are redefining the industry.

“Every day this week we’ll be sharing the story of a model who is redefining industry standards and making sure there’s room on the #RunwayForAll,” Instagram wrote.

The initiative was kicked off with Mama Cax (@caxmee), a Haitian model whose leg was amputated as a teen. “The majority of humans do not look like the mainstream idea of beauty… through modelling I hope to show that beauty does not always wear a size zero and beauty does not always walk on two limbs,” Cax writes in the caption.

“#RunwayForAll means any teenager feels represented when they open a magazine or watch a fashion show,” says Mama Cax (@caxmee). Mama grew up in Haiti, lives in New York City and never aspired to be a model — “not only because there were very few dark models on magazine covers but also because I grew up with very little knowledge of the fashion industry,” she says. “Eight years ago, after getting my leg amputated, the idea of being a model was even more far-fetched.” Today, Mama is modeling and doing other things that she was told there was no audience for, like sharing tips for traveling as a black female amputee. “The majority of humans do not look like the mainstream idea of beauty,” she says. “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.” Every day this week, we’ll be sharing the story of a model who is redefining industry standards and making sure there’s room on the #RunwayForAll. Photo of @caxmee by @simonhuemaen

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on May 30, 2016 at 8:00am PDT

Shaun Ross (@shaundross), a gay male model with albinism, was featured yesterday. “I remember when I first entered the industry, all I saw were models that looked the same,” Ross writes. “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 @winnieharlow, @jilly_peppa, and more to help lead the fight with me to diversity.”

“#RunwayForAll is a world where everyone is treated the same,” says Shaun Ross (@shaundross). When he started modeling nearly a decade ago, Shaun was the only male model of color with albinism. “I remember when I first entered the industry all I saw were models that looked the same,” he says. “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 @winnieharlow, @jilly_peppa and more to help lead the fight with me to diversity.” When he started, Shaun was one of a few openly gay models in the industry. “Agents always told male models to be masculine, but that was never the case for me. I never wanted to hide my sexuality,” he says. “I’d rather be myself.” Photo by @shaundross

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on May 31, 2016 at 8:02am PDT

Throughout the week, Instagram will also feature plus-size model Clémentine Desseaux (@bonjourclem), followed by black model Londone Myers (@londonemyers), and Jillian Mercado (@jilly_peppa), a model with muscular dystrophy.

The campaign will introduce the world to a number of models who refuse to accept the fashion industry’s conformational style. These are the game changers that will be redefining the world of fashion and making it more inclusive for everyone — something we can definitely get behind.

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