Sports Illustrated Model Robyn Lawley Won't Stand for Her Curves Being a Publicity Stunt

- January 29, 2025 - News

Last week, we jumped for joy over the news that Sports Illustrated would feature two plus-size models in its 2016 swimsuit issue: Ashley Graham (making her *Sports Illustrated *debut on the cover) and Robyn Lawley (for her second appearance in the mag). We spoke with 26-year-old Lawley, whose résumé includes swimsuit designer, beauty campaign star, and mother, about her spot in the mag—and why this celebration of body diversity is long overdue.

First of all, congrats on your second Sports Illustrated feature! "Thank you. I can't wait to actually see the images. I haven't seen them yet. They're really secretive over them until the issue is out. And I'm excited to finally go and celebrate it, because last year I was having a baby, so I missed all the tours and the parties. This year will be much more fun."

Wow—that should be exciting. And the magazine announced that Ashley Graham is one of this year's Rookies. How do you feel about that? "I think it's the first time for multiple curvy girls to be in Sports Illustrated, and Ashley is very voluptuous and really curvy, so it's definitely pretty amazing. I think it's so badass that they just love curvy girls. They love girls who exude a sex appeal and a beauty, and they've always been like that. Even if you look at their first editions, in the '60s and '70s, they had quite curvy girls, and then they had Tyra Banks and Beyoncé. The trends for the last few years have been quite ultraskinny, so we've kind of missed curvy bodies, to be honest."

If it's a trend, does that mean you think this could go away? "I'm definitely hoping the trend stays forever. I want it to be a forever thing."

Tess Holiday recently said that one of the most frustrating things about being a model who's labeled plus-size is that people think she "must be unhealthy or that [she's] promoting an unhealthy lifestyle." What do you think about that? "Yeah, I'm pretty damn healthy. I grow my own vegetables and I exercise every day, if not three to four times a week. For me, it's kind of offensive when they tell us we're not fit. I think they're just assuming that. A lot of plus-size models vary in sizes, too. Ashley Graham wears a size 12 in my swimwear, and I'm a size 12, but we're remarkably different bodies and different heights and bone structures. There's a lot of things that you can't tell from a person. A lot of the girls I know are really toned and fit."

You've gone on the record a few times emphasizing that you don't like the term "plus-size." Can you expand on that? "I don't really like the term, and some people love that I say that, and other people get really offended that I say that. The thing is, there's a certain connotation to the word. It's a word the fashion industry gave me. It's not regular people who gave it to me. Regular people look at me, and I say, 'I'm a plus-size model,' and they say, 'What?' And then I have to explain to them that it's a fashion term."

How can we get rid of that term? "What I want to see is straight-size brands endorsing larger sizes and having everyone model, not just having one type of body model. And they need to stop making sample sizes so small that I can't fit them. I'm a designer. It's very easy to make a sample fit someone. We're making girls lose weight to fit samples, rather than the other way around. We should make the clothes fit the girls. I find it remarkable, because beauty comes in all shapes and all sizes. It always has and it always will. And if you're looking at catwalks, it's not diversified at all. It's the same body type [one] after another. I'm sick of it. I don't see myself being represented in fashion, and I love fashion."

Is that why you created your own swimwear line? "Yes. If it's not happening, you're just going to have to make it happen. Robyn Lawley Swimwear is catered to girls between sizes 8 and 18, and I think it's awesome to have curvy girls setting trends and paving the way. We're starting to create clothing now, too. I still struggle at stores, and I really struggle with events. All the sample sizes are zero, so I can't get a dress from a designer. I have to get it myself. I often go to vintage shops."

Are you planning on going to New York fashion week at all? "For me, personally, I don't see the need to go to fashion week. I do see some designers including curvy girls, like Chromat, but for the majority, either they're using us for a publicity stunt, or they are just not changing their ways. Changing their ways would be having a real diversified group full of different ages and ethnicities of different sizes walk the show."