Opinion: Melbourne Fashion Week - It's Time To Actually Be Diverse

Melbourne Fashion Week might be breaking the mould with the unique locations of its catwalk events at the MCG car park, the Aquarium, and across the city, but in one key area the event is a disappointment.

Look through the list of brands being represented in the luxury clothing category and you’ll discover they are missing almost anything that would fit an average size Australian woman.

There was a lot of anger after Sydney’s Fashion Week earlier this year, where a number of models were invited – but only to sit in the audience.

Beautiful women, considered “bigger models” had been invited along as a PR exercise. It was a false show of diversity, as the shows that said they were being diverse were actually only using models that were a 12.

That’s not “plus size”, that’s a normal healthy woman.

The industry needs to catch up with changing perceptions around body image and what is normal and beautiful.

It’s time to actually be diverse. Not just offer lip service about it.

• Read the full opinion piece in The Age here.