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For years, lingerie ads showed one body type. That started to change in 2015, when Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel campaign put curvy women in underwear on billboards and subway walls across New York. Today curve models walk the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and front Savage X Fenty campaigns.
Here are 10 of the most famous plus-size lingerie models, from the women behind those first campaigns to the names leading lingerie today.
Famous Plus-Size Lingerie Models
1. Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham is the most famous curve model in the world, and lingerie has been a big part of her career.
SaveKnown for: She launched her own lingerie line with Canadian retailer Addition Elle in 2013, starred in Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel and #PlusIsEqual campaigns in 2015, became the first global ambassador for Knix Active in 2021 and walked the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2024.
2. Paloma Elsesser
London-born, Los Angeles-raised Paloma Elsesser is one of the biggest names in fashion of any size.
SaveKnown for: She has appeared in Victoria’s Secret campaigns and walked the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and was named Model of the Year at the 2023 Fashion Awards.
3. Precious Lee
Atlanta-born Precious Lee is a high-fashion curve model and a regular in lingerie campaigns.
SaveKnown for: Early in her career, when she modeled under the name Victoria Lee, she starred in Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel lingerie campaign and its #PlusIsEqual campaign in 2015. She later starred in Savage X Fenty’s September 2023 campaign and has walked in Savage X Fenty shows. In 2016 she became the first Black plus-size model in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
4. Jill Kortleve
Dutch model Jill Kortleve moves easily between couture runways and lingerie.
SaveKnown for: She walked the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and was the first curve model to walk for Chanel in a decade, in 2020.
5. Devyn Garcia
Miami Beach-born Devyn Garcia is one of the newest curve stars in lingerie.
SaveKnown for: She has been a Victoria’s Secret brand ambassador since 2021 and made her Victoria’s Secret runway debut in 2024.
6. Justine Legault
Canadian model Justine Legault was one of the faces of the plus-size lingerie breakthrough of 2015.
SaveKnown for: She appeared in both Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel and #PlusIsEqual campaigns, and in May 2013 became the first plus-size model on the cover of Elle Québec.
7. Sabina Karlsson
Swedish model Sabina Karlsson, from Växjö, started modeling as a child and worked as a straight-size model before moving to curve modeling in 2010.
SaveKnown for: She appeared in Lane Bryant’s #PlusIsEqual campaign in 2015 and lists Victoria’s Secret among her clients.
8. Jennie Runk
American model Jennie Runk became a household name thanks to a swimsuit campaign.
SaveKnown for: In 2013 she fronted H&M’s beachwear campaign, and the brand chose not to label it “plus-size.” The campaign was widely praised as a step forward for body diversity.
9. Flúvia Lacerda
Brazilian model Flúvia Lacerda, nicknamed “the Gisele Bündchen of plus-size,” was discovered on a New York City bus.
SaveKnown for: In December 2016 she became the first plus-size model on the cover of Playboy Brazil, in a shoot set in the Amazon. She has also appeared in Vogue Italia.
10. Philomena Kwao
British-Ghanaian model Philomena Kwao was scouted while studying for a master’s degree at Imperial College London.
SaveKnown for: She has modeled swimwear for Swimsuits For All and Chromat, and has worked with Torrid and Lane Bryant. She is also an ambassador for Women for Women International.
Lingerie Tips for Curvy Women
- Get measured: Most women wear the wrong bra size. A fitting at a lingerie store, or a brand’s online fit guide, makes a big difference.
- Look for support built in: Wider straps, side panels and a firm band carry more of the weight than the straps.
- Check the size range: Brands like Lane Bryant’s Cacique, Savage X Fenty, Knix and Victoria’s Secret now carry extended sizes.
FAQs
What was Lane Bryant’s #ImNoAngel campaign?
It was a 2015 Lane Bryant lingerie campaign starring curve models Ashley Graham, Candice Huffine, Precious Lee (then modeling as Victoria Lee), Justine Legault, Marquita Pring and Elly Mayday. It was widely seen as a response to Victoria’s Secret’s “Angels.”
Has a plus-size model walked the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show?
Yes. The 2024 show included curve models Ashley Graham, Paloma Elsesser, Jill Kortleve and Devyn Garcia.
Final Thoughts
Plus-size lingerie models have helped push brands to make pretty, supportive lingerie in more sizes. For more inspiring names, see the most famous plus-size models and our list of plus-size male models.
