As health experts continue to worry about the return of “thinness” as the norm, individuals across the globe begin to question if the body positivity movement is reaching an end. Ariel Tunnell, a famous celebrity stylist, finds herself pulling clothing options from the run-way for her clients of all shapes and sizes, but she has noticed a significant, alarming trend in the fashion industry. While there are many designers giving individuals options for bigger bodies, the choices have become fewer and fewer as time passes on.

“I think we're all aware that we are taking a step backwards,” replied Tunnell when inquired about the fashion industry in an interview with CBS. “There was a bigger push for inclusivity and body acceptance of all shapes and sizes that feels like it is trending backwards.” Tunnell’s overarching concerns over this matter echoes those of body positivity advocates, who have spent their entire lives advocating for self acceptance regardless of body type. Now, many individuals have begun to worry that 2024 marked a return to slim bodies as the norm.

Influencers who are known for representing body positivity began sounding an alarm earlier this year, stating that they feel as though the way society talks and thinks about individuals bodies has reverted back to an obsession with one specific size.

As of more recently, some of Hollywood's most famous stars have commented on unfair beauty expectations and standards. In December, actress Sydney Sweeney responded to online trolls who described her as large in paparazzi photographs of her enjoying a vacation in the Florida Keys. Actress Florence Pugh also addressed commentary on her figure, telling The Sunday Times in a recent interview that there are individuals who are “still angry with me for not losing more weight.”

In Vogue Business’s 2025 spring/summer inclusivity report, the fashion publication states that “progress has stalled and we are facing a worrying return to using extremely thin models, amid the Ozempic boom,” referring to the overall popularity of the drug used for weight loss.

The publication also stated they analyzed “every runway show and presentation featured on Vogue Runway from the official New York, London, Milan and Paris schedules to calculate the proportion of total looks that are straight, mid and plus size.” The business claimed that less than 1% of more than 8,700 runway models were labeled as plus size, meanwhile, more than 94% of these models were between a U.S. size 0 and 4.