Magazines, fashion brands and model management firms are embracing body positivity and it has never looked more beautiful.
Wilhelmina model Ericka Jean Schenk is the latest of plus size models to break new ground for curvy women, especially in the fashion industry. Much like Ashley Graham and Tess Holliday, Schenk has been featured in high fashion shoots, as shown on her Instagram.
#tbt to the time @enriquevegaphoto turned me into a beautiful monster. #spanishmagazine #iflookscouldkill #job #work #vientitamos #black #nyc #CURVE #curveskill #monster A photo posted by Erica Jean Schenk (@curve_model) on Mar 26, 2015 at 9:35am PDT
VivanLasCurvas // November 2014 Photography by Enrique Vega [PLUS] Wardrobe Styling by Christian Ramirez Tejada Make Up by Victor Noble Hair Styling by Yasutaké Kosaka Model: Erica Jean @ Wilhelmina Curve A photo posted by Erica Jean Schenk (@curve_model) on Oct 28, 2014 at 11:42am PDT
Now, the 18-year-old model is gracing the cover of Women's Running magazine. Plus size cover models are scarce even in 2015, to say the least.
But Schenk's cover photo perfectly shows that you don't need to be skinny to be athletic. The magazine's editor-in-chief, Jessica Sebor, told Today, "Runners come in all shapes and sizes. You can go any race finish line, from a 5K to a marathon, and see that. It was important for us to celebrate that."
ICYMI- Meet our cover runner, Erica. Our August issue hits newsstands on Tuesday! http://t.co/iN0tddPK6e pic.twitter.com/0aq0ESFRza— Women's Running (@WomensRunning) July 17, 2015
Schenk was originally featured in the magazine because she is an avid runner. According to Today, the magazine chose Schenk for a story about athletic brands expanding their size ranges to fit more athletes' bodies.
The magazine are already receiving props online from fellow runners and people who love to see more body representation in fashion.
Thick girls run. Thx to @WomensRunning for supporting us. I just subscribed.— Ducky DooLittle (@duckyduckydoo) July 23, 2015
That what I call #revolution!:)) Go girl @curve_model Don't stop and run babe always run #womensrunning #magazine... http://t.co/tQy32hdyGi— Katya Zharkova (@ZharkovaKatya) July 23, 2015
Absolutely love the fact that @WomensRunning has a plus size model on the cover. Fact: Us plus size girls can run too! #womensrunning #run— Brittany Louise (@Tinyeloquence) July 23, 2015
This is the coolest! Strong and beautiful. #womensrunning— Vicki Martinez (@vicki_martinez) July 23, 2015