Vivien’s ahead of the curve

Amelia Stubbs from Queensland is part of the new Vivien’s Model Management Curve Division. Photo: Ken Pryor

In an industry where being thin is part of the job description, a new wave of shapely sisters are breaking the mould.

Not only have they successfully cracked the conventional body stereotypes and convinced leading fashion brands, but they’ve also won over some of fashion’s most powerful players to make the seemingly impossible cross over from commercial to high fashion.

Think Australian beauty Robyn Lawley who’s become the poster girl for curvy girls everywhere when she donned the cover of Vogue Italia in 2011, then there’s Kate Upton who went from Sports Illustrated to CR Fashion Book cover girl along with fellow swimwear model Gigi Hadid who is now the face of Tom Ford.

Alice Hayward of Vivien’s Curve Division in the Persona Campaign.

 

While curvy models have always been around, it’s not until recently that a commercial market has really opened up for them which has made way for the new launch of Vivien’s Model Management new Curve Division.

Headed up by senior agent Ekke Affeldt, the new division already has an impressive line-up including successful international runway model, Melissa ‘MJ’ Johannsen. After a brief hiatus, MJ  has returned with a new fuller figure stating in a recent article, “I want to promote Body Diversity, as I believe there are many different versions of a healthy body shape.”

MJ celebrates `body diversity’ at Vivien’s new Curve Division. Photo: Max Papendieck

 

So why are brands seeking curvier girls not to represent them? and where is the demand coming from?

“I think they are coming more into the commercial market now because clients have realised that their customers want to relate to the models they see in the advertising of the product they are going to buy,” said Ekke. “Also the population is getting bigger in size and the market is reacting to it.”

Ekke is currently looking for new girls with big plans to grow the new division and confirm their marketplace position over the next 6-12 months.

“Established in 1967, we (Vivien’s Models) are used to leading the way and hopefully we will do this with our Curve models soon too,” he said. “To date, we have had a great response from clients and models likewise. We have some great ideas to help us promote and grow our division.”

While he agrees that models such as Robyn Lawley have helped to pave the curvy way for models, Ekke thinks the real test of success is a models’ level of popularity within the public sector, not just with industry insiders.

“I think everybody involved has helped to pave the way,” he said. “I think Robyn Lawley is just getting started on what she can do and it is great to see her doing so well. She is now well known in the industry, but it would be interesting to see how well known she is to the public that is not involved in our industry. That would be the real indication if Robyn Lawley helped to pave the way.”

The decision to use the word Curve over the industry’s traditional plus-sized terminology has also been welcomed.

“We like the name Curve for our division because we think it best describes the form of our models,” said Ekke. “It is all about the curves not + size.”

So what does it take to make the cut as a Curve model?

Ekke says the general guidelines for height are 1.73 m to 1.83 m, ideally dress size is 12 to 18, and of course, “confidence is a big part of being a model”.

For more information visit viviensmodels.com.au/sydney/curve