In the past, Milan has had a tendency to fall short when it comes to diverse casting – particularly in terms of showcasing a range of bodies. Yet Karoline Vitto’s spring/summer 2024 show, sponsored by Dolce & Gabbana, featured an all-curve model line-up, setting a groundbreaking precedent. Among the exceptional cast was Monët Lauren, who’s walked for the Brazilian designer three seasons in a row. “We all knew we were about to be part of a historical moment,” Monët Lauren shared with Vogue. “We had to stop ourselves crying the whole time.”
Born and raised in south London to first-generation Jamaican immigrant parents, Monët Lauren – who goes by her first name only – has always been encouraged to express herself through fashion. However, during her formative years in the Noughties, the prevailing beauty standards for women, especially in the modelling industry, emphasised being blonde, Caucasian and extraordinarily slender. Thankfully, the cultural influences she experienced at home equipped her with a sense of pride, as well as unflinching humour, about the problematic zeitgeist. “I used to watch America’s Next Top Model with my mum, and when they featured what they considered a curvy girl, my mum would burst into laughter,” she recalls with a chuckle. “Jamaican culture helped me navigate the pressures of body image because, where I come from, curves have always been celebrated as beautiful, so it made me feel safe to embrace myself – but I was still affected by what we were all exposed to in the media.”
Years on, Monët Lauren enrolled at the London College of Fashion, pursuing a course in PR and Communications. However, once she entered the world of employment in 2021, she swiftly realised PR wasn’t the right fit for her and immediately started contemplating quitting. “Even though I had bills to pay, my instincts were urging me to break free from that situation.” The very evening that she left her job, she reached out to a make-up artist with a million followers, expressing her admiration for his work on a Black curve model. Almost instantly, he invited her to his studio for a make-up session. Minutes after he shared the results on social media, an agency contacted her, eager to sign her. “My life literally changed in a week,” she reflects. “Within months, I was doing Calvin Klein and Adidas campaigns, and then opening my first show.”
Monët Lauren has established herself as a standout model to watch on the runway circuit, too, walking the shows of some of London’s most thought-provoking design talents, including Ahluwahlia, SS Daley and Dilara Fındıkoğlu. Nothing she’s done so far, though, has topped her history-making turn at Karoline Vitto.
The show, opened by Ashley Graham and featuring 30 curve models, was a first for the industry. “It was emotional, empowering and uplifting all at once – Karoline’s clothes make me feel unapologetically sexy,” Monët Lauren enthuses. “Afterwards, we all went to lunch and cried for about half an hour, and shared stories about how a lack of representation has affected us and how we’ve had moments where we’ve wanted to give up – but we all realised we are part of something bigger… We’re setting the new standard for the next generation to see that they too can be part of change.”
While there has been progress in the modelling industry, achieving complete body inclusivity remains an ongoing journey. “In order for change to be effective and to prevent curve models from feeling like tokens, there must be consistency and commitment woven into a brand’s DNA,” Monët Lauren emphasises. “Photographers also need to feature more curve models in editorials, because there aren’t enough references out there beyond e-commerce and campaigns for us to see bodies like ours in action. It’s especially important for those who are starting out and need to gain confidence.”
