The number of mid- and plus-size models on Fall-Winter 2023 runways dropped 24% compared to the Spring-Summer 2023 season, according to fashion search engine Tagwalk, and a Vogue Business size inclusivity report found that 95.6% of all looks presented for Fall-Winter 2023 were in a US size 0–4 — reversing gains some brands had made in recent years and coinciding with growing public attention to prescription weight-loss medications.
Plus-size model bookings fell 24% on Fall-Winter 2023 runways as weight-loss drug use rises
The number of mid- and plus-size models on Fall-Winter 2023 runways dropped 24% compared to the Spring-Summer 2023 season, according to fashion search engine Tagwalk, and a Vogue Business size inclusivity report found that 95.6% of all looks presented for Fall-Winter 2023 were in a US size 0–4 — reversing gains some brands had made in recent years and coinciding with growing public attention to prescription weight-loss medications.
Industry market firm Plunkett Research estimated in 2015 that 68% of American women wear a US size 14 or above. By contrast, a traditional sample size — the one-off garments made before mass production and used during runway shows — falls between a US 0–4, meaning runway models of the same body type are more easily interchangeable if a model drops out during or after the casting process.
Several brands that had previously featured curve models did not do so this season. In 2020, Jill Kortleve and Paloma Elsesser became the first models outside a sample size to walk for Fendi. British label Erdem extended its offering to a UK size 22 (US size 18) in 2021. In January 2022, Valentino's haute couture show featured a broad spectrum of body types. Fendi and Valentino did not respond when contacted by CNN; Erdem declined to comment.
A smaller group of brands maintained or expanded size diversity. In London, emerging labels Di Petsa, Karoline Vitto and Sinead O'Dwyer showed size-diverse lineups. In New York, Christian Siriano, Coach, Kim Shui, Collina Strada and Bach Mai were cited for inclusivity. In Paris, Belgian brand Esther Manas staged a size-diverse show. Off-White, Michael Kors and Harris Reed's debut for Nina Ricci also featured some mid- and plus-size models.
On the medication side, the US currently has five injectable prescription appetite suppressants available, plus one oral pill, Rybelsus. Three injections — Wegovy, Saxenda and IMCIVREE — are FDA-approved for weight management. Mounjaro and Ozempic, which are approved to treat type-2 diabetes, are not FDA-approved for weight loss, though some doctors prescribe them at their own discretion. In the UK, Wegovy was approved on March 8, making it the second injectable weight management medication available via the National Health Service in approximately three years; the last weight-loss medication approved in the UK before that was in 2010.
Wegovy and Ozempic share the active ingredient semaglutide, originally developed for treating type-2 diabetes. Semaglutide works by mimicking the hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), slowing stomach emptying and reducing hunger signals to the brain. In clinical trials over 68 weeks, participants using the medication alongside reduced calorie intake and increased physical activity lost an average of around 15% of their body weight, compared with 2.4% for those on a placebo, according to manufacturer Novo Nordisk.
On March 13, the European Medicines Agency issued a statement warning of an Ozempic shortage that could continue through the year and urged doctors to prioritize prescriptions for diabetic patients, stating that use for weight management 'represents off-label use and currently places the availability of Ozempic for the indicated population at risk.' To qualify for a prescription under standard guidelines, patients typically need a BMI of 27 or higher along with a weight-related condition, or a genetic predisposition toward obesity.
Public discussion of the drugs has grown sharply. In January, the New York Times reported on the term 'Ozempic Face,' coined by a New York-based dermatologist treating patients with a hollowed appearance from rapid weight loss. By late February, the medication appeared on the cover of New York Magazine. Advertisements for GLP-1 injections have been placed in New York City subway stations. Comedian Chelsea Handler stated in a January podcast appearance that her 'anti-aging doctor just hands (Ozempic) out to anybody.' Elon Musk posted on Twitter last year about using Wegovy.
- The source does not state what share of Fall-Winter 2023 runway looks at individual named houses were in sizes above US 4.
- The source does not state the total number of models assessed in the Tagwalk and Vogue Business analyses, nor their precise methodologies.
- The source does not state whether any of the brands cited for inclusivity — such as Christian Siriano or Esther Manas — increased, maintained, or decreased their plus-size bookings compared to the prior season.
- The source does not state what specific measures, if any, the Council of Fashion Designers of America or the British Fashion Council have taken or are considering regarding sample-size standards.
- The source does not state the current UK NHS prescribing criteria for Wegovy beyond the general BMI and weight-related condition threshold described for prescription appetite suppressants.
- The source does not establish a direct causal link between the availability of weight-loss medications and the reduction in plus-size model bookings; the article presents them as concurrent trends.