Changing the face of fat: the celebs who've altered our perception of body image

Image plays a big part in the media, so whether we like it or not, we’re going to be bombarded with discussion about it.

The fashion industry is often criticised for using emaciated models, as well as adverts sticking to slimmer models and ignoring the average size 14-16 woman.

There have been various campaigns to change the face of fashion – Gok Wan’s “Miss Naked Beauty Campaign” and products such as Dove launching their own campaigns to use real women to promote their brand. Debenhams has today revealed their size 16 mannequins for its shop windows, saying it wants the average woman to feel “better represented”. Real Bodies Unite are also currently launching a global campaign to raise 10,000 signatures for the use of realistic body representation in fashion.

But, ultimately, the argument will return to whether it’s what the public really want to see – and hence why they buy into it.

We take a look at some of the women who have, in one way or another, changed our perception of body image by causing discussion on the topic.