2017's Most Empowering Fashion Stories Will Have You Screaming "Hell Yeah!"

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.

Sports Illustrated featured stretch marks for the first time and Halima Aden modeled American Eagle's amazing denim hijab, 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.

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Designers Making a Political Statements on the Runway
Getty | Neilson Barnard

Designers Making a Political Statements on the Runway

During NYFW's Fall 2017 season, designers all over united to voice their opinions about the current political climate. From Prabal Gurung's collection of inspirational tees to Tommy Hilfiger promoting unity by having models wear white bandanas, designers made it a point to join the conversation.

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Denise Bidot's Sports Illustrated Campaign
Courtesy of Sports Illustrated

Denise Bidot's Sports Illustrated Campaign

Sports Illustrated made a bold move with its campaign featuring plus-size model Denise Bidot. 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".

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Celebrities Wearing Planned Parenthood Pins on the Red Carpet
Getty | John Shearer

Celebrities Wearing Planned Parenthood Pins on the Red Carpet

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American Eagle's Denim Hijab
Courtesy of American Eagle

American Eagle's Denim Hijab

In a huge step towards inclusivity, American Eagle released its first-ever denim hijab. This head covering allowed Muslim women all over to get in on the denim trend without breaking any of their religious traditions.

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Torrid Showing at New York Fashion Week
Courtesy of Torrid

Torrid Showing at New York Fashion Week

Torrid announced that it will be showing at Fashion Week 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.

06

Melanin Illustrated Photo Shoot

One group of sorority sisters made it their mission to prove that nude isn't a one-size-fits-all shade. During Delta Sigma Theta's 10-year reunion in Costa Rica, each sorority sister posed in nude swimsuits of her choice. The group called powerful photo shoot "Melanin Illustrated," a play on Sports Illustrated.

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Target's Photoshop-Free Swimsuit Campaign
Courtesy of Target

Target's Photoshop-Free Swimsuit Campaign

In an effort to join the body-positive conversation, Target launched an amazing photoshop-free swimsuit campaign. All of the models proudly showed off their stretch marks and cellulite for the retailer's swimsuit collection.

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Muslim Miss Universe Contestant Wearing a Caftan

This Muslim Miss Universe contestant made history when she refused to wear a bikini on stage. During the swimsuit portion of the Miss Universe Great Britain beauty pageant, Muna Jama became the first contestant ever to wear a caftan on stage.

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American Eagle's Fall 2017 Unretouched Campaign
Courtesy of American Eagle

American Eagle's Fall 2017 Unretouched Campaign

For American Eagle's Fall 2017 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.

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Swimsuits For All Baywatch Campaign
Courtesy of Swimsuits For All

Swimsuits For All Baywatch Campaign

As a tribute to the Baywatch movie, Swimsuits For All came out with a new collection of inclusive swimsuits. 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.

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Feminine Funk's Body-Positive Tees

It's no secret why Feminine Funk's collection of body-positive tees went viral. The online retailer's apparel features body acceptance phrases such as "My thighs touch because I'm a mermaid" and "Big brows, big thighs, big hair, and big dreams."