Online retailer ASOS is continuing to make considerable strides in the fields of body positivity and representation. People were impressed with ASOS' new feature that shows the same article of clothing on models with different body types. Now, people are applauding the brand for featuring Vivian Eyo-Ephraim to be a swimsuit model for ASOS Curve.
The following is a transcript of the video.
Eyo-Ephraim: My name is Vivian Eyo-Ephraim, I am a plus size model and student living in London.
So the story of how I got into modeling is quite interesting because I was with my mum, she was like why don't you get into modeling like you do commercials and acting and things like that and she was like yeah just do it. I applied to a competition on StarNow that would've won me a contract with Bridge Models, which it did, I did win it, so that's how it all started. So, when I got the email oh you have a casting for ASOS, I was like what do I do, what do I do? Still the same nerves, but you know I just went there, did what I usually do, just stand there, do my best, take my pictures, and be as confident as I can which I think I did well, 'cause I got it in the end.
The recognition and feedback and the comments and everything by literally every single person I bump into or across social media, it's been amazing. I don't think I have any kinda words to kinda describe the feeling, but it's an amazing feeling that I feel inside, honest. It's also amazing because I see a lot of people that look like me, a lot of people of color, people that are plus size, just like I am, you know say I've seen someone that represents me, finally, things like that, it's really encouraging to see.
So I would like to work for Sports Illustrated because I saw somebody I'd look up to on there, that was Ashley Graham, I thought she did an amazing job on it and it's just given so many other people like me, someone to work towards to in terms of showing ourselves to the world, and on a platform like that as well, I feel like it's now becoming very inclusive as well, so that's something that I'd definitely love to take part in. So representation is very, very, very, very important, I can't stress how important it is, only 'cause there's so many people that, from young ages, look up to certain people and certain things that are happening across social media, across the world, not even social media, just generally.
For me, representation is very important because I've had so many young people message me to say oh I wanna be just like you, and I'm just like oh my God, that's a lot, it's something that needs to be normalized, so something like this that's happened via ASOS should be everywhere, so not everyone's kinda surprised by what's going on, but, it will get better, I'll just say that, I'm very positive, so I reckon it will get there.
I would like the modeling industry in the future, if it was up to me, to be inclusive. That's the one word I can stress on. Inclusiveness, there shouldn't be categories as to plus-size model or normal model, or this model, that model, I think it should just be that person is a model, regardless of whatever it is they look like, what shape it is, what size, how tall, how short they are, if I had the power to, everyone would be a model.
I love Nike, I have like so many, I'm basically, I'm not endorsed by them but I'd like, it's an amazing brand.