How One Group of Curvy Models Is Changing the Industry From Within

by Lilit Marcus

Inga Eiriksdottir began modeling in her native Iceland when she was just 14 years old. But as her body changed, the modeling industry didn't change along with her. Although she had appeared in campaigns for brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Max Mara and had worked with esteemed fashion photographers including Patrick Demarchelier and Steven Meisel, her agency, Ford Models, switched her over to its plus-size division when she was 21 years old. The 5'10" Eiriksdottir was a size 6 at the time, having started her career as a size 2. Though she saw other models taking extreme measures to stay thin, Eiriksdottir, who is also a trained yoga teacher, refused to put her body through unhealthy regimens in order to be superskinny. When the plus-size division of her modeling agency was shut down last year, Eiriksdottir seized an opportunity to make her own way and to help change the modeling industry.
"I got together with some of the top girls from the division, and we formed our own coalition of models," Eiriksdottir tells Yahoo Shine. "We did a lot of meetings, trying to figure out where we wanted to go with this. We all knew we wanted to make an impact and change the industry so there would be more curvy girls in everything." The group placed an emphasis on beauty campaigns, which are the most lucrative gigs in the industry. Although some plus-size models have begun to have recent success in high-fashion magazines like Vogue and on runways, in the better-paying makeup and hair campaigns, they have been slower to catch on.

Eventually, the five models settled on the word ALDA, which means "wave" in Icelandic, as the name for their new coalition. In addition to trying to get more mainstream jobs for "plus-size" models, they also wanted to educate young women and help boost self-esteem. Today, Eiriksdottir and the group's four other founders — Ashley Graham, Danielle Redman, Julie Henderson, and Marquita Pring — are all signed to IMG Models, which doesn't have a plus-size division and groups all of its models together. ALDA also recently added a charity component its work and held its first fundraising event in New York City in May. The event raised $50,000 for Komera, a Rwandan organization that helps to provide resources and support for girls who want to attend school in the African country.
The transition to model-philanthropist feels natural for Eiriksdottir, now 30, who grew up admiring Christy Turlington, the current Vogue cover star who got a degree in public health and now runs her own maternal health charity. "She's amazingly beautiful, but I love what she's done. I am a yoga teacher as well, so she's someone I am inspired by," explains Eiriksdottir.
Although Eiriksdottir wants to change the modeling industry, she believes that the best way to change the system is from within. "I think the job of modeling is to sell clothes, and there will always be a need for that. There will always be models. We need more size and race diversity in magazines to give women of all shapes and sizes something they can relate to more."