Breaking Barriers: Ashley Graham’s Unwavering Support for Karoline Vitto’s Celebration of Diversity
Having grown up in Brazil, where she felt subject to narrow ideals of beauty, Karoline Vitto became hyperconscious about her body. Now based in London and part of the Fashion East incubator, she uses metal frames to amplify the soft bulges and folds of flesh we’re conditioned to hate as things of beauty.
As the world’s most famous curvy model, Ashley Graham knows better than most what it means to celebrate natural beauty. She’s starred in campaigns for Vogue, Glamour, and Harper’s Bazaar, graced the covers of several fashion magazines, and even given a TED Talk on body positivity. She’s also a highly sought-after speaker, regularly addressing high schools and girls’ groups to spread the message of self-acceptance and women’s power.
The London-based Brazilian designer has taken her body-positive ethos to Milan, where she landed a spot on the official Fashion Week schedule thanks to support from Dolce & Gabbana. Her SS23 show, presented in partnership with Addition Elle and titled “The Body as Material,” highlighted the beauty of rolls and curves by showcasing seven garments that accentuated female folds and curves.
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Vitto’s Sensual SS23 Collection
After making waves with her inclusive, fuller, figured cast for SS22, Karoline Vitto continued to broaden her horizons with a dreamlike collection that channeled a woman of all shades. From immaculate draping to ethereal gowns, each piece floated off the body and encapsulated a delicate seduction.
Michael Stewart’s Standing Ground showcased a swoon-worthy collection from start to finish. The pieces evoked a sense of fluidity and delicate beauty, from a ruched velvet gown to a Victoriana-inspired coat in Donegal tweed.
Alice Vaillant was also gracing the runway this season, whose collections have earned her a cult following. Having worn by the likes of Kylie Jenner and Devon Lee Carlson, Vaillant Studio fuses heady Y2K femininity with French notions of style that are both sensual and subtle. For SS23, the brand showcased a series of embroidered tops and bias-cut dresses with delicate floral prints that were at once soft and strong.
Vitto’s Stunning SS23 Collection
Whether you were bouncing in inflatable latex or rocking a body-hugging stretchy dress, the spring 2023 collection by Brazilian designer Karoline Vitto was smile-inducing. The alum of London’s Fashion East presented her first solo show with support from Dolce & Gabbana, part of the Italian brand’s ongoing project endorsing young designers.
Vitto’s inclusive approach to fashion, focus on forms, and celebration of self-confidence are all themes that align with the luxury house’s ethos, making this collaboration the perfect fit. Her sculptural dresses accentuated curves and folds in an array of asymmetrical draping while she made room for the shoulders in her range of corsets.
Aside from Vitto, this season’s shows showcased many fresh new talent. From Afrocentric denim to Y2K French fusion, there was much to discover from these up-and-coming brands. And, with London Fashion Week disrupted by political turmoil, their collections feel like an essential breath of fresh air.
Vitto’s Some Collection
Karoline Vitto, a graduate of London’s Fashion East incubator, wowed the crowd with her SS23 collection. The size-inclusive designer is known for her designs that highlight the curves of authentic female beauty.
In Brazil, Vitto was subjected to narrow beauty ideals and became hyper-conscious of her body early. But things shifted once she moved to London and began studying at Central Saint Martins. From there, she started to strip off and take mirror selfies to showcase the creases and folds of her body that she’d previously been conditioned to hate.
Then, she used molded metal frames to amplify these soft bulges and creases as beautiful details in her lingerie-inspired silhouettes. The result was a sexy range of body-contouring maxi dresses and trousers. This season, she also added waspies – a corset-like top designed to wrap around the torso – and jumpsuits with sheer panels highlighting the breasts.
