For many, 2017 has been a bag of mixed emotions because of the current political climate. But there were also some very important wins in the fashion community with many designers uniting for women's rights and equality during NYFW's Fall season [1].
Sports Illustrated featured stretch marks for the first time [2] and Halima Aden modeled American Eagle's amazing denim hijab [3], proving that this year has had its share of inspiring moments too. Keep reading to have a look at this year's most empowering fashion stories.
Designers Making a Political Statements on the Runway
During NYFW's Fall 2017 season [5], designers all over united to voice their opinions about the current political climate. From Prabal Gurung's collection of inspirational tees [6] to Tommy Hilfiger promoting unity by having models wear white bandanas [7], designers made it a point to join the conversation.
Denise Bidot's Sports Illustrated Campaign
Sports Illustrated made a bold move with its campaign featuring plus-size model Denise Bidot [8]. The ads proudly showed Denise rocking a two-piece swimsuit that put her stretch marks on full display, featuring the tag lines "My Confidence" and "Inspired by #ThisBody".
Celebrities Wearing Planned Parenthood Pins on the Red Carpet
This past award season, Lena Dunham was just one of the many celebrities who wore a Planned Parenthood pin [9] while on a red carpet. At the Oscars, Emma Stone styled her stunning custom Givenchy look [10] with a pin as well.
American Eagle's Denim Hijab
In a huge step towards inclusivity, American Eagle released its first-ever denim hijab [11]. This head covering allowed Muslim women all over to get in on the denim trend without breaking any of their religious traditions.
Torrid Showing at New York Fashion Week
Torrid announced that it will be showing at Fashion Week [12] come September. While Cabiria Style was the first plus-size brand to show in the official IMG NYFW tents back 2013, this is still a huge win for the plus-size community. You can expect to see a whole array of cute, affordable clothes ranging from sizes 10-30.
Target's Photoshop-Free Swimsuit Campaign
In an effort to join the body-positive conversation, Target launched an amazing photoshop-free swimsuit campaign [14]. All of the models proudly showed off their stretch marks and cellulite for the retailer's swimsuit collection.
American Eagle's Fall 2017 Unretouched Campaign
For American Eagle's Fall 2017 [16] campaign, the company decided against retouching its photos. The brand also made a powerful statement by casting a diverse group of models in its ads.
Swimsuits For All Baywatch Campaign
As a tribute to the Baywatch movie, Swimsuits For All came out with a new collection of inclusive swimsuits [17]. The campaign featured Ashley Graham, Teyana Taylor, and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Niki Taylor all wearing the iconic red lifeguard one-pieces. The best part about the collection? The line ranges from sizes 4 to 22.