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+).
“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.”
“What’s saddest about the regression in inclusion is that we are watching the erasure of women’s bodies take place,” says Chloe Rosolek, who cast Karoline Vitto’s FW26 show (which was the most inclusive show across this season’s rankings). “Either you have to conform so you can compete and still work as a model, or you’re sat on the sidelines. There’s still obviously a huge market for [the clothes] — most people are not a sample size. It just seems that the luxury market is so fatphobic that it is unwilling to change whatsoever.”
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.”
How sample sizes shape the runway
Casting directors agree that creative directors — and the photographers and stylists they work with — hold the power in the casting process. “Designers ultimately make the final decisions, but there is absolutely space [for casting directors] to advocate for a wider range of bodies. The designers who are most receptive are the ones who already understand that women — and people in general — are not one size,” says Schliftman. “In the best situations, casting is a true collaboration. Rather than a top-down directive of ‘this is exactly how it has to be’, it becomes a partnership between the designer, the creative team, and the casting director.”
Christian Siriano FW26, cast by Hollie Schliftman.Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
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