Brawn Modelling

Breaks barriers by spotlighting diverse body types as a narrative of a narrative of strength, confidence, and individuality.

Modelling is a multifaceted industry with various genres; the latest most popular being Instagram Modelling. For those unfamiliar with Instagram, the application allows followers to decide a model’s popularity through likes, follows and mentions. Many modelling agencies scout potential models through medium to find their next Instagram ‘baddie’ brand representative. This is to exploit the large following they have on their accounts.

Most male models you view are gym buffed or rawboned and usually 6ft 1 or 2; but hardly a ‘little heavy’ or a ‘big boy’ is a common visual. Zach Miko became the first plus-sized male model in 2016 campaigning for big and tall, scouted through instagram by IMG Models. This new face has led to more and more brawn men being scouted such as Nemar Parchmen. Brawn men in general can be athletic, have a sportier physique or just bigger in size. There is no fine line on the measurements for this in the industry and highly depends on the brands outlook on size.

Plus size models have risen to popularity for females with the likes of Ashley Graham and Candice Huffine. Campaigns such as Savage x Fenty and Missguided’s 2017 Diverse Winter Campaign have boosted awareness of sizeism and popularity of different sized models. UK Agencies are increasingly hiring plus size women but fewer brawn men are given this opportunity. Charlotte Griffiths set up Bridge Modelling Agency in 2014 after the hypocrisy of fashion focusing on female body images and not male, launching a men’s division for broader models in 2016. Being one of the firsts. Since female fashion is a trailblazer - men’s fashion will always follow and we can hope to see more.

The Dad Bod craze in the 2010s did however heighten the acceptance of finding a man with ‘a nice balance between a beer gut and working out’ attractive. Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Chris Pratt and Seth Logan pioneered this with their ‘Dad Bod approved’ physique.

There is, however, a fine line to glamourising unhealthy images which convey the same message as sending a size 0 model down the runway. For men and women body frames are different; women accentuate towards their breasts and hips which could make them look plump. For men, this isn’t the case but does emphasise you can be any size and healthy. 

The first UK plus-size male model, Ben Whit is a perfect example of a large tall man whose interest lies in health and fitness (also a personal trainer) but struggles to find clothes that fit due to his physique.

‘It’s about time the world took larger men like him seriously. A lot of people have this misconception that plus size means overweight – that’s wrong,” - Ben Whit

Having a plus size line to showcase and sell does put pressure onto creative designers and manufacturers to buy larger bulks of fabric to cover the model requirements. This could be a large cost to them. Not to conclude that plus-size brands do not exist, they do, but there are very few models showcasing their clothes. We need more! ASOS, Next, River Island and American Eagle all represent all genres of sizes which changes the dynamics of men just shopping from Bigdudeclothing.com. The market differs from country to country, for instance Germany already endorses brawn men on a large scale.

What next?

Showcasing more plus sized men through modelling can break stereotypes exploiting the fact that big men look good. Young men need to see this to rationalise their thoughts on size and how male models are attractive at any healthy size. 

The aim is to create normality. Everyone deserves representation, our ‘firsts’ should be no more and we need to shift focus on everyone’s achievements which add value; not their number on the scale. 

There are many ways in which we can achieve this: 

Coverage on social media - younger generations are prone to viewing more content on social media. Showcasing more brawn men on platforms can have a positive influence on everyone, especially marketing towards younger boys. Make seeing brawn models a norm in fashion and media outlets and showcase healthy images. 

Openness on male body positivity - Men are less likely to talk about their feelings and self-image. Body image is a psychological concept, therefore more conversations need to be steered towards this making it a ‘norm’ to talk about such human things.

Remember, be grateful, confident and content, don’t let an image control you. The likes of Zack Miko and Ashley Graham along many others didn’t.