Kat Williams

It's time to get REAL with you. Sometimes, just sometimes, trying to be a voice for inclusivity is fucking hard. At least once a week I get a message from someone telling me we don't we have enough plus size/LGBTQ/non-caucasian people featured in our magazine. Its very easy to get defensive 'OMG HAVE YOU EVEN READ THE MAGAZINE!?' but the fact or the matter is it is really REALLY hard to represent everybody all the time. I've wanted to shoot a trans/non-binary/gender fluid model for the cover FOREVER but every model I've found, every agency I've reached out to, have turned us down. "Sorry so and so won't do bridal..." "Sorry it's not the direction so and so wants to go in". And I get it, bridal is a dirty world in the fashion industry. People have their own preconceptions of what a bridal shoot might be... We've worked with plus size models in the past but they've all been girls I've found on Instagram. Booking them through agencies is almost impossible for an indie publication. Plus size models tend to charge a lot more than standard size ones and as hard as it is to admit, we simply can't afford to pay hundreds of pounds for a model for every shoot. Then there's finding samples that aren't a size 8/10... it is SO HARD. And I don't want to have to work work brands who "just do plus size". I don't want it to be a 'thing' because, to me, what's not what being inclusive is about. I'm not trying to make a point of working with a certain type of person. I just want to work with cool, different, bad ass individuals. But it's fucking hard when the agencies, models or brands won't give us the time of day. I get it. Not seeing yourself represented is horrible but I'm trying SO HARD to be inclusive and to push against an industry that is notoriously exclusionary. But I can't do this alone. I need you to help us. If you want to see more of yourself in our magazine then please reach out. I want to give you a platform. I want you to be seen. I want to shoot you. I want to publish your articles. I want to showcase your art and share your wedding. I might not be able to make you rich by doing so but the only way we can really make a change is if we work together.