Whether you're watching from the front row or via live stream, the casting of a fashion show sets the rhythm, the proportions of the clothes, and the overall impression a brand leaves behind. But predominantly thin casts, with the occasional curve model or a handful of mid-size looks, made for a disappointing Fall/Winter 2026 season when it came to size inclusivity.
Casting directors sit between the brands and their stylists, and the models and their agents. From this vantage point, directors have a clear view of the realities of size inclusivity on the runway: how it works, who calls the shots, and what would truly drive change.
This season , size inclusivity dropped to the lowest it's been since we started tracking runway representation three years ago. Of the 7,817 looks presented across 182 shows and presentations, 97.6% were straight-size (US 0-4), 2.1% were mid-size (US 6-12), and 0.3% were plus-size (US 14+).
Size inclusivity on the runway fell again this season, highlighting how far the industry still has to go.
"At times, it can feel like size inclusivity is treated as a moment or a trend, rather than a permanent shift in how the industry approaches representation," says Hollie Schliftman, who cast Christian Siriano's show this season (which ranked third in New York), and has been working in the industry for around 20 years. "Fashion has always had an aspirational element to it, but true aspiration should also reflect the reality of the world we live in. The majority of women are not a size 0 or 2 — not even a 4. Most fall somewhere closer to sizes 8, 10, or 12, and that reality deserves to be consistently represented on runways and in campaigns."
As fashion becomes more visible, the stakes are higher. "Runways get a lot of mainstream media attention now, so a lot of people are actually going to see it," says Emma Matell, who cast shows including Lueder, Tolu Coker, and Cecilie Bahnsen this season. "Back in the day, it was like the fashion industry had its own weird standards. Now, it affects the general population much more because they can essentially sit front row via a live stream."
While Schliftman highlights a number of designers making efforts, she says that inconsistency undermines progress: "It needs to become a lasting part of the industry's framework. Representation needs to become less of a statement and more of a standard."
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