This American model, born in 1987, is a true icon among plus-size models. Already seen on the covers of Vogue and Glamour, Ashley Graham has turned her curves into a real asset. Committed to her cause, she wants all women to be able to assume their own bodies, on the beach or anywhere else!
Who is Ashley Graham?
Born on October 30, 1987, Ashley Graham is an American model who has become one of the most popular faces in the modeling industry, and particularly for women who classify themselves as curvy (a term Graham prefers to “plus-size”). Known for her accessibility and body confidence, the young woman has been described as an ambassador for the “real beauty” movement. The latter celebrates what real women’s bodies look like… Rather than the impossible standards set by the fashion industry.
With her growing popularity, she has graced the covers of the world’s leading fashion magazines. Notably Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar, and has walked the catwalk for major fashion brands and designers.
The famous model was discovered at the age of 12 in a shopping mall in Lincoln, Nebraska. Before long, she was appearing in ads and catalogs. And regularly learned the ropes of what it took to be a serious model. By the age of 18, she had moved to New York to pursue her career full-time.
The sultry brunette first signed with Wilhelmina Models in 2001. But two years later, she joined Ford Models until the agency closed its plus-size division. She is currently represented by IMG.
She has appeared on the covers of Vogue, Elle, Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar. And has walked the catwalks of New York Fashion Week. Notably for Michael Kors’ spring/summer 2018 collection.
Among the many fashion campaigns in which she has appeared, the buxom young woman has worked with Bloomingdale’s, Liz Claiborne, Hanes, Target, Macy’s, Levi’s and Nordstrom.
Husband and son
Ashley Graham first met her husband Justin Ervin, documentary filmmaker and cinematographer, while attending church. The couple married in 2010. Graham announced her pregnancy via Instagram in August 2019, before giving birth to a son in January 2020.
In a 2017 interview with CBS, Ashley Graham admitted that her interracial relationship with Ervin, who is Black, was shocking to her Nebraska family:
“I’ll never forget that feeling of sitting there with Justin, thinking, ‘I’m so embarrassed that I had to bring him here to meet these people. These people who raised me and taught me how to live. And he’s treated so terribly,'” she said.” And he told me, “Racism is never surprising, but it’s always disappointing.”
5 things you need to know about Ashley Graham
Over the past few years, Ashley Graham has conquered the modeling world and earned a reputation as a sharp entrepreneur. The 32-year-old is one of the industry’s most recognizable models. She attracts attention for her striking looks as well as for her work as an advocate for body diversity. And here are 5 things to know about the famous Super Size model that may surprise you.
1 – She has a certain shopping mall to thank for her rise to fame
Ashley Graham was spotted by a modeling agent while at the mall in her native Nebraska with her father at the age of 12, and barely a year later, she signed with an international modeling agency.
2 – The brunette beauty made history in 2016
By becoming the first curvy model to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated . It was a big year for Ashley. Just a month earlier, Forbes had featured her on their annual “30 Celebrities Under 30” list.
3 – She developed her own lingerie line
Ashley contacted plus-size distributor Addition Elle. She wanted to bring her line to stores, with sizes up to 44DDD. Graham told Vogue in 2014, “ It’s really hard to find lingerie that’s both supportive and sexy. I’m a sexy girl who likes to wear sheer shirts with lace popping out. And I really wanted it in my size”.
4 – The product she’d take to a desert island?
Rosewater.
5 – She’s not the world’s biggest fan of the term “plus-size”.
In a 2017 interview with theAssociated Press, Graham explained her aversion to it, saying, ” I just think it’s divisive. I think labeling and naming women in certain categories because [of a] number inside their pants doesn’t really move us forward in life .”
Ashley Graham has helped countless fans increase their self-acceptance with her advocacy of body diversity, which extends to posting unretouched, unedited photos of herself on Instagram. ” I’ve used my body as a tool to talk about taboo subjects, such as cellulite or insecurity about lower belly fat, and also [how] to talk about life in your body and have a kind of affirming conversation with yourself.”
