Diversity has been a hot topic this year – a topic that Models Direct is happy to say has extended to the type of models being used on the catwalks.

One great example of this was when Debbie Huntley, designer and owner of new womenswear label L.2.Mae, made the bold move to cut her debut collection “Infused Beauty” on size 12 models.

Having become frustrated with seeing skinny models on every catwalk and in every magazine, Huntley, who only graduated with a degree in Fashion Design last year, decided that a figure that more closely reflected that of the average women was the right way to go.

“I wanted to use size 12 models because I design for women, so I want diversity within the models who represent my brand,” said the designer.

“I want people to look at my collection and be drawn to the garments first and not the young, very skinny girl beneath them. I want my customers to have the confidence to go out and try my pieces on because they can relate to the models being used within my campaign.

“Fashion is getting a bit ‘same-old’ in terms of the stigma attached to size 12+ models. You might not even notice that the women in my photo shoot are a size 12, because the first thing you notice is how beautiful they look. The garments look much nicer when you can see curves and femininity beneath. Some people are naturally very slim and some are not, but good design caters for all women, so why not show that by using different models to the standard size 6/8,” she added.

Debuting her collection at a charity fashion show, Huntley of course used size 12 models on the catwalk, as well as in her photo shoot, to accentuate the simple feminine cut of her garments beautifully.

Continuing, Huntley revealed that she’s love to work with the curvy Daisy Lowe in the future: “I have a lot of ideas in terms of models and how I want photo shoots for the brand to be. I adore Daisy Lowe because she is stunning and she embraces her curves within modelling, so to have someone like her would be a dream for a campaign in the future. I’m excited to show people the photo shoot and hopefully get a good reaction for the collection too.”

We at Models Direct find Huntley’s ethos and approach to fashion very refreshing, especially considering she’s a new designer!