While the issue of representation of female bodies resurfaces, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, during each Fashion Week, the question of male bodies remains a fleeting mention—if it is mentioned at all. Understandable, of course, in an industry where women take center stage, but regrettable nonetheless. This absence is all the more perplexing at a time when menswear shows are becoming more mainstream, and the appearance of male models within women’s collections is no longer an exception. And yet, the silence persists. As we approach the FW25 shows, it is time to take a concrete look at the reality of non-diversity in menswear collections.
FW25 Collections: time for an overview
As of early March 2025, with most menswear collections now unveiled, out of 131 collections, only 10 appearances of plus-size male models have been recorded. Notably, this does not mean 10 different brands or 10 different models. Louis Gabriel Nouchi is among the few who showcased two plus-size male models, including Mathias Kissi, who also walked for Rick Owens. In fact, these two brands were the only ones, among all 131 collections, to feature not just one but two plus-size models. What about distribution across cities? The sample is too small to draw strong conclusions, but one city stands out: Berlin. Among 18 collections, 3 featured plus-size male models—just one fewer than Paris, which had 61 collections in total. Yet, diversity in a broader sense no longer seems to be a taboo topic for men or women. Reviewing all 131 shows, the presence of older men on the runways is striking. Their inclusion, though recent, appears to have been accepted without resistance. A prime example: John Alexander Skelton’s collection, featuring models whose average age appears to be in their forties. A two-tiered inclusivity.
The Pedro Almodóvar effect
Beyond statistical analysis, another observation emerges—one even more unsettling. Of the 10 plus-size model appearances, half are recognized artists: Luc Tuymans at Yohji Yamamoto, Wolfgang Bahro, a popular German actor, at William Fan, or sculptor Daniel Chadwick at Metal Campania. Can their presence truly be seen as a step toward body diversity in fashion, or merely an attempt to capitalize on their fame and transfer their artistic prestige to the brand? A previous example further supports this trend: the Saint Laurent campaign featuring Pedro Almodóvar alongside other renowned directors like David Cronenberg and Abel Ferrara. Almodóvar may not fit the typical model measurements, yet no one considered this a representation effort by the brand.
Thus, anonymity is rarely afforded to plus-size male models—an irony in a profession that thrives on anonymity. Even a brand like Sivan, by casting Posh Heat, who is both a designer and fashion influencer, is showcasing a public figure just as much as a plus-size model. A clever maneuver that allows brands to claim representation while benefiting from the influence of the individual. One must ask: would the brand have even considered featuring a model of his size on the runway had he not been a public figure? It is difficult to blindly applaud these brands without questioning the underlying dynamics behind these runway appearances. Presence alone does not equate to the much-needed representation.
Men, their bodies, and fashion: A wake-up call
In 2025, these dismal statistics are all the more alarming given today’s social climate. Men’s relationship with their bodies—a subject still in its infancy and relatively unexplored—is increasingly worrisome. Have you heard of “bigorexia“? This term, describing addiction to physical exercise, is gaining traction as gym addiction for muscle gain becomes more widespread. So much so that doping—once a concern only for elite athletes or bodybuilders—is now raising alarm at the highest levels of government. The previous Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castera, even identified amateur doping as a national concern. Beyond the practice itself, the glorification of these behaviors, facilitated by platforms like TikTok or gym spaces dedicated to taking photos, influences men’s body image. Fashion, by refusing to participate in the effort toward body representation, must also be held accountable.
Last year, a TikToker named Brandon Andre addressed a related issue in one of his videos: the hyper-muscular body type dominating social media is not even the one seen on men’s runways. Between the slender, almost androgynous catwalk bodies and the hyper-muscular gymbro physique, there is little space for plus-size men, whose presence remains a rarity. Yet, fashion understands its powerful influence on women’s body perception. Does it believe men’s fashion is exempt? In the 2000s, the world became painfully aware of the toxic link between fashion and female anorexia. While the growing interest of men in fashion is promising, the industry must learn from its past mistakes and adapt to male bodies just as it is—albeit slowly—doing for women. Representation cannot remain an anecdotal mention; it is an urgent necessity.
A few years ago, Vogue Business published an article on plus-size male models, or more precisely on their absence, as an appeal to the luxury industry as a whole. It has to be said that little has really changed since that article. Luxury continues to ignore the signals, and to make do with meagre consolation prizes. And it’s hard not to regret these absences, when on the other side of the mirror, talent is multiplying, ready to prove itself on the world’s runways. An article like this may seem redundant, so much so that the subject is gradually taking on the form of a chestnut, but it is a necessary chestnut. Because perhaps, if we keep saying it, one day we’ll be heard.
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