NY MAG:
Few issues in fashion rile people up as much as diversity. From race to size and shape, the industry is consistently tasked with expanding and defending its narrow view of beauty. Men have clearly not gotten the same consideration as women in this arena. If they had, we might not have to wonder: Where are all the plus-size male models?
Discerning male shoppers, just like women, crave a hint of realism in fashion imagery from time to time. “Everyone’s looking to find someone who represents themselves in some way or another,” says 31-year-old sometime big-and-tall model Jermain Hollman. “I would like to see bigger, more athletic-looking models.” At 6’5” and 230 pounds, Hollman has been booked by modeling agents for jobs, but never signed by them. He would love to model full-time, and is always looking for representation, but thinks that the most a big-and-tall model can make out of the job is a “decent side career.” “Maybe designers or whoever like the way clothes fit on [straight-size] models,” he adds. “Men my size would like to wear those clothes as well.”
