“It’s very important that we question the parameters that define beauty. I’m thrilled to support the All Walks initiative.”
— Nick Knight, photographer
“The most important thing is to have a confidence in what you are and not to feel that you have to be like someone else; thinner, younger, blonder. Originality is the greatest treasure.”
— Alexandra Shulman, Editor, Vogue
“I wholly admire and support the endeavours of the All Walks Beyond the Catwalk campaign. As a photographer, I am constantly confronted by perceived ideals of beauty. The models, actors, musicians, and ‘real’ people who I see down my lens are all influenced by an oppressive world of unattainable physical goals. I always work hard to break through the artifice and capture something unique, original and beautiful in each of my subjects. Interest and creativity is not about perfection but quite the opposite; beauty comes from our idiosyncrasies.”
— Rankin, photographer
“I’ve always gravitated towards unique characters and individuals, particularly within the part of the fashion industry I work in. For me, it’s interesting to see this rather than a world that is bland and homogenous.”
— Giles Deacon, designer
“M&S is proud to support the All Walks Beyond the Catwalk initiative aiming to celebrate diversity across the fashion world. As the UK’s leading high street retailer we have an incredibly diverse range of customers and our aim is to offer them all stylish clothing, no matter what size, shape, age or ethnicity.”
— Sir Stuart Rose, Former Executive Chairman, Marks & Spencer
“Three of my favourite subjects have been very diverse fashion icons: Tilda Swinton and Scarlett Johansson, and Beyonce. None would fit into a sample size or the catwalk model mould and, most importantly, none would care to! I really see this project as a chance not just for a series of portraits on a more diverse group of models, but as a fashion story that is a celebration of diversity. One in which the industry can look at itself and say, “yes we can” promote a body type that is healthy and beautiful.”
— Kayt Jones, photographer
“London Fashion Week is all about celebrating British brilliance, and All Walks Beyond the Catwalk is a chance to be proud of British beauty. It brings together models of all colours, shapes, sizes and ages in a dazzling array that looks gorgeous – because it looks like Britain. It’s a reminder that true style and glamour know no boundaries – that each person can look radiant because each of us has a unique special something to cherish. I’m a huge fan of the initiative and very proud to lend it my support.”
— Sarah Brown, wife of UK Prime Minister Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
“I totally embrace and applaud what the All Walks initiative is doing in breaking down the stereotypical fashion ideal. Beauty and talent come from within and the exciting thing about fashion is that everyone can be involved, whatever their age or size. The All Walks campaign proves this to be true.”
— Twiggy, model ICON
“It is a rarity for my models to be involved in London Fashion Week or a cutting-edge editorial for a magazine such as i-D. The simple reason is that designers don’t design for curvy models, so the samples don’t exist. All Walks Beyond the Catwalk has teamed my models with talented designers and an award-winning photographer. The results speak for themselves.”
— Sarah Watkinson, founder and director of 12+ UK Model Management
“When it comes to choices around fashion, we’ve never had more, yet our choices around body shape appear increasingly limited. Why is it that 99% of all the attractive and intelligent women I know, models or otherwise, do not feel good about their bodies? Let’s change this.”
— Debra Bourne, Co-Founder All Walks Beyond the Catwalk
“For me it has always been about capturing the essence and spirit of the individual, whatever their body shape. The time has definitely come for all of us to embrace a more wholesome body image. It feels more real and, right now, that’s what we all want to be. I have always loved strong women and that’s what draws me to them.”
— Tori Edwards, model agent and co-owner of TESS Management
“Fashion is supposed to be about celebrating a wide range of beauty and it’s so great to see the industry making real steps to acknowledge this.”
— Hadley Freeman, Fashion Features Writer, The Guardian
“I became a make-up artist because I was fascinated by the rich and varied interpretations of beauty and form I saw in the 1980s when I first started. This is an element lacking today, making things seem rather dull in comparison. We need to celebrate diversity to the point where it no longer appears diverse. From this freedom, true beauty can be found. With this intention All Walks creates a pioneering space for change.”
— Kay Montano, make-up artist
“Fashion is a magical and exciting world, able to inspire and delight. But, in spite of all the creativity, there exists a stubborn and rigid doctrine around size. I have daughters and they ask clever and intelligent questions about designers and their attitudes to women’s bodies. It is time for the industry to address this now.”
— Caryn Franklin, Co-Founder, All Walks Beyond the Catwalk
“It has always been a prerequisite that catwalk models are long, lean, slender and tall but, from within the industry, I feel that it should not be the only message we are giving out. It’s about time we observe all shapes and sizes! I really believe that personality and individuality, not conformity, should be key.”
— Fiona Ellis, model agent
“Working on this project gave me a sneak preview inside the creative heads of Britain’s brilliant young designers. It also opened my eyes to how London Fashion Week continues to set new standards in how to tackle sensitive issues regarding the health of models. The two together represent modern fashion presentation and, hopefully, will inspire others to also think outside of the box.”
— Alice Olins, fashion writer at The Times
“Working within the fashion industry, I am regularly presented with representations of beauty. To me, diversity and individuality have always shone as the most desirable qualities a person can have in their personal style. I have always embraced the fact that the Matthew Williamson woman is definable; her eccentricities and her variety in age, shape and background are to be celebrated.”
— Matthew Williamson, designer
“Having spent many years making clothes for private clients, I believe that there is no better way for a designer to hone their cutting skills while gaining a greater appreciation of the human body in all its many variations. Contrary to the common perception that the limitations placed on a designer by working with different body shapes or age groups are a handicap to creativity, it can actually be quite liberating to see designs work in a different way, through skilled use of proportion, texture and colour.”
— Deborah Milner, designer and member of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’s designer selection panel
“Individuality is what fashion is all about. Following trends and copying arbiters of taste will only get you so far. It is only when we bring our own personality into play, when we impart our own style into how we choose to present ourselves, that true fashion icons are made. The reliance on standards and benchmarks within the fashion industry is stifling creativity and denying a lot of people something truly wonderful. It is time to reassess the situation, open our eyes to the future and pass on positivity and inclusivity as the message for S/S ’10 and beyond.”
— Maggie Norden, London College of Fashion
“A happy woman radiates beauty. It doesn’t matter what clothes or make-up you wear, it’s love and happiness that make you beautiful.”
— Georgia Jagger, model
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“My collections are always designed with a woman’s body in mind. Cut is a strong element in the brand – flattering, concealing, creating a strong silhouette and creating an illusion without a surgeon’s knife. Draping is also key to my work – producing clean, minimal, futuristic silhouettes that celebrate a woman’s body intelligently. My inspiration is diverse, from ethnicity to travel experiences, but my whole design ethos is based around making women look beautiful, chic and poised, whatever shape or size.”
— Osman Yousefzada, designer
“I think it’s incredibly important that everyone in the media takes on board how essential it is to pass on positive messages of diversity of colour, ethnicity and size to our young women and men. I’m super-proud that Kayt was involved in this project, as our daughter and as a photographer. I feel really strongly about this and am behind Caryn, Debra and Erin 100%. That’s why i-D wanted to support it.”
— Tricia Jones, i-D Magazine
“Ultimately this project isn’t about asking the model to pour herself into a restrictive, readymade garment, but facilitating eight designers to engage on a more intimate level in order to enhance the most powerful attributes of the individual model. The industry relies heavily upon images of models wearing beautiful designs to capture imagination and to tap into our most intimate desires and self-expectations. To me, the only thing that we should have in common is our differences.”
— Erin O’Connor, model and co-founder of All Walks Beyond the Catwalk
“Spring’s ethos is to nurture, support and promote emerging creativity and talent, providing a platform that explores individuality and creative diversity, expanding beyond the limits of conventional thinking and rigid ideals. All Walks challenges a path that confines diversity, Spring welcomes the debate.”
— Mark Loy, Managing Director, Spring Studios
“For an industry predicated on embracing a diverse aesthetic when it comes to clothes, it is often myopic when it comes to the bodies that wear those clothes. All Walks is an antidote, promising to be a showcase for genuinely progressive, female-friendly fashion.”
— Cat Callender, fashion writer and co-editor of LFW’s The Daily
“The fashion industry has always celebrated creativity and femininity through innovative design and artistry. Fashion now permeates virtually every facet of our daily lives and women everywhere embrace it. However, real style is often overshadowed by society’s obsession with body image. The industry needs to refocus and start considering the needs of the wide range of female consumers who support it. All Walks is addressing this issue in a truly credible way and everyone at Kandi is proud to be helping to deliver such an important message.”
—Andy Downham, Creative Director of Kandi Media
“All Walks is relevant today because it brings back the importance of personal identity.”
— Terry Jones, i-D Magazine
“We love fashion in all shapes and sizes!”
— Sam Wilson, Creative Director of Six Creative
Our core value is about democratising fashion, giving a platform to talented people and giving a voice to the public in the decision of what gets made. The collaboration with All Walks played exactly to this democratising power by being inclusive, embracing and innovative. The value it brought to us was about reinforcing the message to our community of both designers and public: The young and slim are not the only ones that enjoy and buy fashion.
— Juliana Goga-Cooke