We love when designers risk going against the grain!
Courtney Smith started her line Rum + Coke in 2013 after leaving a career in finance, because she felt that there was a dearth of clothing made for larger women, and that it was a void she could fill.
Her clothing ranges in size from small to 3XL, and the designer truly seems to make an effort to accommodate women with a variety of body types.
But even though her line includes smaller, or “straight,” sizes, Courtney only uses plus-sized models of color to advertise her clothing.
She explained:
“No one questions why there are only small women in other brands’ shoots. I put women of color and ‘larger’ women in my photo shoots for many reasons. One, because I believe in the multiplicity of beauty, and two, there are so many women who seldom see women who look like them in advertisements.”
There are definitely no flaws in her reasoning!
Many people for many years have been advocating for wider representation in fashion campaigns and editorials, but it’s still a rare thing to see mainstream designers actually attempt to portray models who aren’t incredibly tall and thin and, very often, white.
It may be a long time before plus-sized and non-white models in prominent ads becomes the norm, but every small step helps!
Check out more of Rum + Coke’s ads in the gallery (above)!
[Image via Rum + Coke]
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