To say that I have had my problems with sizes is to fall short.With a body that has a spectrum of sizes (m depending on the part in question, the time of the month and how long has spent locked up), I have a small army of tailors in rapid marking (one that only specializes in making hems) andSome pre -entrenched trends that I usually turn to.

Imagine my joy (during what has become a disturbingly regular practice of reviewing Tiktok when sleeping) when I began to notice more and more women with similar size problems, with bodily shapes that, although they were so familiar to me,I was not used to seeing beyond the mirror.Women whose sizes were inclined towards the smallest of the Body-positive warriors who was used to seeing in my feed, but on the largest side than standard fashion influencers.In summary, bodies like mine, with the same problems, all labeled with a term that I had never seen before: ‘Medium size.’

A mix between ‘standard size’ (the term of the industry for the size between the XXS and S sizes) and ‘large size’ (XXL and more), ‘Medium size’ covers the R range M and XL.The average woman in Mexico is size M, according to a study conducted by the National Chamber of the Dress Industry.However, the median woman is a silent majority: less than 20 percent of the clothes are made for her and has little representation in fashion and media.

Now, the increasingly vocal voices of the middle term seek to be part of the conversation about body inclusion through Tiktok;a platform favored for its crudeness about Instagram hyperpice;Its algorithm allows a greater diversity of people to gain traction regardless of the number of followers.In other words, if their content speaks to people, they will see you.

Voices of ‘Medium Size’

‘I am completely among sizes,’ explains Raeann Langas, medium -sized model and body activist based in Los Angeles, whose Instagram publications for purchases are labeled with brands such as Reformation, With Jéan and Girlfriend Collective.‘The right sizes of reformation, for example, go up to size L (US, 12, UK 14, EU 42).Meeting some of those, but some are too small, then jump to large sizes.And large sizes are too big.So there is a great gap in the sizes table of many brands. ’

The experiences of Langas echo that of the medium -sized Californian model based in Texas Ali Tate, who began his career as a model while studying in London when he was a tall 10 teenager from the United Kingdom (M in Mexico)."Usually, my size has not worked," says Tate, that she prefers brands such as AGOLDE, RAILS, STAUD AND ORSEUND IRIS.‘[Medium size models] always had to lose or gain weight to work.Fashion always gravitates to the extremes and is very interesting because most of my friends are my size and I have never seen anyone to reflect them in images.While a model of size 6 (s in Mexico) ‘it does not look like me at all’, she explains, "the big size is clearer, but it still does not really reflect the shape or size of my body."

‘There is definitely a struggle that must be carried out for women of size 16 (L) onwards,” adds Tate.‘But if we are asking for inclusion, let's not put aside those of medium size.We need to see the complete spectrum of what is human being.He had a US size 10 and struggled greatly with eating disorders and body image problems.People are still dealing with these problems, even being medium size. ’

Meanwhile, the British medium -sized stylist Karina Marriott recognizes that it is a privilege to enter normal size stores and find her size.‘The medium size should not be a movement away from the large -sized community,’ she says.‘I didn't know where to fit because it wasn't thin or large.Medium is a really useful term when it comes to finding women who have a body shape or type similar to mine. ’

A sizes system that really works

In spite of all the progress that has been achieved in the diversity of sizes on the catwalk in recent years, the Autumn/Winter 2021 season experienced a setback with only 19 large size models compared to the historical maximum of spring/summer2020 that included 86. 'We have had this strange idea in luxury ready to carry, whether you are sample size, normal size or not;It is more design and concept than comfort, ’explains Vanja Hedberg, former student of Margiela, Lanvin and Balenciaga and Master's Director in Fashion Design at the Institut Français of the Paris Mode.

Hedberg describes how most sizes in stores originate from cut patterns for the catwalk.In a process known as ‘normalization’, these patterns then adjust to adapt them to European standards: 38 or 40, forming a base that then graduates up or down."You can't simply take a pattern and fly because the proportions change," he says.‘It is a complex and finely refined mathematical process that has been industrialized.Then, perhaps, a deeper change is necessary in the way we design, with more love towards female experience and the female body. ’

However, some designers are developing innovative solutions to offer women their real size.In 2018, Chromat, the New York seal founded by Becca McCharen-Tran, reviewed its pattern file and sizes structure.To prepare for the launch of a range that goes to XXXL, they organized an open -door sizes initiative for four days, in which more than 500 women of all sizes were Amidierob.Lois Opoku, a business computer student based in Berlin and influencer of medium-sized fashion, believes that the McCharen-Tran approach is the future.‘Designers and brands should verify data on women;That could be my technological experience speaking, ’she smiles.‘It is difficult to understand that you see how people look on the street and you still have a sizes system that does not fit society or women who are supposed to buy clothes.’

True Fit, a data -based customization platform that works with retailers such as Levi's, Ralph Lauren and UGG, has developed Fashion Genome, the most complete data set of the footwear industry and the preparation, compiled from almost 200 million people inThe US, United Kingdom and Europe.‘In general, when we talk to our customers, the amount of growth they are seeing in this size range makes some of them begin to blur the lines between standard and large sizes,’ explains a True Fit representative.His findings have involved that brands are now thinking of dimensioning in terms of a wide continuous range, as opposed to rigid segments such as ‘standard’ and ‘large size’.

For Tate, a hopeful future comes with the celebration of progress already made.‘We have to recognize how far we have arrived, even in the 10 years that I have been in the industry,’ she reflects.‘Curvy models reach covers of great magazines, great publishers and fashion parades;This simply did not exist when I started.My position would be quite positive when reflecting and recognizing that, as with anything, there is always something else we can do. ’