Plus Sized Model Challenges Fashion Industry’s Definition of Beauty

Plus sized beauty Ronnie Howard has been featured on NBC, CBS, Ashley Stewart, BET’s Rip the Runway, Ebony Magazine, Kohls, and several online stores. But like many other plus-size models, Howard has experienced the frustration of being told she was either too big or too small. “I’m currently a size 14, but at one point I was a size 18–some clients loved it, others wanted me to come down a few sizes. Now that I’m down two sizes, some want me to bigger. I want women to embrace their curves and understand that there’s no one size fits all, even in plus modeling. I want to encourage women to embrace the size that’s perfect for them– because the industry’s perception of perfect is always changing. This is one of the reasons that I created “The Learning Curve” workshop to let women know that they can model at any size,” said Howard.

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With the launch of Howard’s “Learning Curve Workshop,” starting in Philadelphia, PA on May 17, and an upcoming modeling gig walking the runway at New York’s Full Figured Fashion Week, BlackEnterprise.com caught up with the busy trailblazer to learn more about her career and tips for maintaining a healthy weight.

BlackEnterprise: Did you always know you wanted to be a model?

Howard: Believe it or not, no, I unexpectedly got my start as a model. While I was enrolled at Temple University, I was studying communications, I went to a fashion show casting with a friend who was auditioning, and the featured designer asked me to tryout too. I was shocked when I was selected to model in the show, and soon became the face of the brand. Then I started to receive a lot modeling opportunities–from runway shows and TV segments to photo shoots and mentoring young girls. It’s been an amazing and unexpected journey and I’ve loved every bit of it.

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