Ashley Graham is one of the most recognized plus-sized American models in the industry, gracing the covers of major fashion magazines like Cosmopolitan, SELF, Maxim, Sports illustrated, Vogue, Elle, Bust, Glamour, YM magazine among others.
Ashley Graham Bio with Age, Height, Parents, Husband, Career, Net Worth & Life Story.
Who Is Ashley Graham?
Ashley Graham was born on October 30, 1987, Ashley Graham is an American model who has become one of the most popular faces in the modeling industry and particularly for women who classify themselves as curvy (a term Graham prefers over "plus-sized"). Known for her accessibility and body confidence, Graham has been described as an ambassador of the "real beauty" movement, which celebrates what real women's bodies look like rather than the impossible standards set by the fashion industry. With her increasing popularity, she has graced the covers of the world's biggest fashion magazines, including Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar and has walked the runway for major fashion brands and designers.
Early life
When Graham was in eighth grade, she moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, with her family. While growing up, she was diagnosed with ADD and dyslexia. She has two younger sisters. She attended Scott Middle School from 1999 to 2002 and attended Lincoln Southwest High School from 2002 to 2005. She was identified in 2000 by the I & I agency while shopping at Oak View Mall in Omaha, Nebraska.
Career
In 2000 Ashley was accidentally discovered while shopping in the mall at Omaha, Nebraska by the talent agents of I & I agency. Graham started modeling at the age of twelve. In 2001, Graham signed a deal with Wilhelmina Models, after attending a model convention. In 2003, she signed a deal with Ford Models. During her early career, she appeared in YM magazine. In April 2007, she was profiled by Sally Singer of Vogue magazine.
She appeared on the October 2009 issue of Glamour editorial "These Bodies are Beautiful at Every Size," along with plus-size models including Kate Dillon Levin, Amy Lemons, Lizzie Miller, Crystal Renn, Jennie Runk and Anansa Sims. In 2010, Graham appeared in a controversial Lane Bryant TV commercial. The commercial received over 800,000 views on YouTube and was covered by news outlets such as The Huffington Post and the New York Post. On May 31, 2010, she appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, to address the controversy. She has also walked for international designers like Prabal Gurung, Michael Kors, Love Mag, Dolce and Gabbana, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Rag and Bone, Christian Siriano.
In December 2010, Graham also appeared in an editorial for Bust magazine. She appeared in several Levi's campaigns, notably Curve ID SS 2011 with Sabina Karlsson, Ana Lisboa, Marquita Pring and McKenzie Raley, and Boyfriend Collection F/W 10 with Rachel Clark, Ana Lisboa, Anais Mali, Marquita Pring and Ashley Smith. Graham has appeared in several Marina Rinaldi campaigns: Spring/Summer 2012, Fall/Winter 2012 denim, and Fall/Winter 2012 sport. Other clients include Addition Elle, Bloomingdale's, Elomi lingerie, Evans, Hanes, Liz Claiborne Macy's, Nordstrom, Simply Be and Target. In December 2012, Graham was featured on two billboards in New York for Lane Bryant. At the end of that year, Graham was named the Full Figured Fashion Week's Model of the Year.
In 2013, Graham designed a lingerie line for Addition Elle, a Canadian plus-size clothing retailer. She also appeared on MTV's Made, as a coach for an aspiring plus-size model. She appeared on the May 2014 issue for the international Harper's Bazaar pre-fall collection and beauty editorial. She was the cover model on the June 2014 issue of Elle Quebec. In 2015, swim suits for all, a plus-size retailer for women's swimsuits, featured Graham in an advertisement in Sports Illustrated's annual Swimsuit Issue. The ad was part of swim suits for all's Curves In Bikinis campaign. Graham was one of the first plus-size models to appear in the pages of the Swimsuit Issue. In 2016, she became the first plus-size model to appear on the cover of the Swimsuit Issue.
In 2016, Graham served as a backstage host for Miss USA 2016, Miss Universe 2016, Miss USA 2017, Miss Universe 2017 and Miss Universe 2018. In addition, she was an official judge of the reality show America's Next Top Model transmitted by VH1.
In 2017, Graham released a book, A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like. In this memoir, she provides insight into her experiences as a model and as an advocate for body positivity, and shares her prospects for the evolution of body image in years to come.
She also competed in an episode of Spike's Lip Sync Battle against Superior Donuts actor Jermaine Fowler. Graham won with performances of Shawn Mendes's "Treat You Better" and Shania Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much". The episode aired on June 28, 2017. Graham has been announced as the host of the second season of American Beauty Star.
Lane Bryant TV Ad: Ashley Graham appeared nude in a sexy lingerie ad by Lane Bryant, it was an ad appreciative of all body types, especially focusing on the plus size body models. Ashley and other full figure models appeared on the TV. The ad surprisingly faced controversies. Ashley compared the ad with Victoria's Secret commercials which are perhaps more racy but never get any slack. Perhaps it is a size-ist thing.
Body positivity
Graham is a proponent of the body positivity and the Health at Every Size movements. In 2016, she became the first size 16 model to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Glamour described Graham's cover as "bringing size acceptance into the mainstream". She appeared on the cover of Vogue in 2017, becoming the first plus-size model to appear on the magazine.
Graham gave a TED Talk advocating for self-acceptance with regards to body images, which included her looking into a full-length mirror and having a friendly chat with her body parts making comments such as: “Back fat, I see you popping over my bra today. But that’s all right. I’m gonna choose to love you.”
Graham has been praised by women on Instagram for sharing photos showing her cellulite. In an interview with Vogue, she said, "I definitely think that my body has changed many peoples’ lives. I’ve used my body as a tool to talk about taboo subjects, such as cellulite or being insecure about lower belly fat—and also [how to] talk life into your body and have an affirmation kind of conversation with yourself. And I know the lives that have been changed: young girls and even women my age who have written me and said, 'I never loved the skin that I was in until I heard your journey'." Graham has stated she does not prefer the term "plus-size", saying, "I think that when you use the word 'plus-size' you're putting all these women into a category: 'You don't eat well.' 'You don't work out.' 'You couldn’t care less about your body.' 'You're insecure.' 'You have no confidence.' And that is none of this (pointing at her body)"... The fashion industry may persist to label me as 'plus-size,' but I like to think of it as 'my size.
Justin Ervin (a cinematographer & award winning director, he owns Element Films Inc, ) & Ashley met each other during a humanitarian event at the Church in 2009, they dated for a while before tying the knot. While dating they went to rollerblading, biking together. They did karaoke together and liked walking in the evening together.
They got married in 2010. She says they abstained from having sex until their marriage, because of her previous extreme indulgences she wanted this particular relationship to be special. In August 2019, Graham and Ervin announced that they were expecting their first child, a boy. On January 18, 2020, Graham gave birth to a boy named Isaac.
In a 2017 interview with CBS, Graham admitted that her interracial relationship with Ervin, who is Black, was shocking for her Nebraska family. In an interview, Ashley revealed that her old grandmother wasn't happy about her marrying out of her race. However Justin being a smooth talker won her over after few meetings.
I will never forget that feeling of just sitting there with Justin, thinking, 'I'm so embarrassed that I had to bring him in to meet these people, these people who raised me and taught me how to live, and he's being treated so terribly,' she said. "And he said to me, 'Racism is never surprising, but it's always disappointing.'
Sports Illustrated Cover
Ashley Graham, who appeared on the SI Swimsuit cover as a rookie in 2016, is a leading advocate for body positivity and inclusion. She wrote her first book, A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like, in 2017. In addition to modeling, Ashley has her own line of lingerie and swimwear and appeared as a judge on America’s Next Top Model.
Ashley Graham Net Worth
Ashley Graham net worth and salary: Ashley Graham is an American model who has a net worth of $10 million. Ashley Graham is probably best known for making history as the first plus-sized model to ever appear in the Sports Illustrated annual swimsuit edition.
Ashley Graham's Famous Sexy Baywatch Photoshoot
Ashley Graham shows off her famous curves as she takes part in a ‘Baywatch’ themed photo shoot for Swimsuits For All with Teyana Taylor and Niki Taylor on Miami Beach. Wearing a bright red Brazilian cut swimsuit, the plus sized beauty posed on a ‘Bay Beach Patrol Ocean Rescue’ jet ski, before taking it for a spin. Ashley then posed with fellow models Teyana and Niki on a Lifeguard station. Miami, Florida – Wednesday March 1, 2017.
Interesting Facts
- She has attended the shows- 'Entertainment Tonight', 'Tonight Show with Jay Leno' (it dealt with her Lane Bryant Ad)
- She was still in High School when she started her career as a model.
- She has been interviewed by CBS News, NPR.
- She has Modeled & appeared on Commercials for- Addition Elle, Bloomingdale's, Denim, Elomi lingerie, Evans, Hanes, Levi, Liz Claiborne Macy's, Nordstrom, Marina Rinaldi, swimsuitsforall, Target.
- In 2012 she was named Full Figured Fashion Week's Model of the Year.
- Ashley Graham designed a lingerie line for the Canadian clothing store chain - Addition Elle in 2013.
- Swimsuitsforall made a campaign #CurvesInBikinis to raise the awareness that every type of body is beautiful. Ashley Graham was hired by swimsuitsforall for the campaign.
- Ashley Graham became the 1st plus-size model to be published on the cover of 'Sports Illustrated'
- Graham was a judge at the reality show 'America's Next Top Model'
- Graham was a backstage host for the competitions Miss USA 2016, Miss USA 2017
- Jezebel listed her as one of the Top 5 plus size models alongside Alyona Osmanova, Leah Kelley, Sabina Karlsson, Marquita Pring.
- Ashley was of size 12 at the age of 12.
- I was always beyond confident because my mom and dad never put me down for my size, I come from a big-boned family.
- She was listed in the prestigious- Forbes Top 30 Under 30 list.
- Ashley Graham lingerie collection: Ashley launched her own line of lingeries in 2015. She designs them for Addition Elle, swimsuitsforall.
- TED Talk: Ashley has given a talk on body diversity to a full hall audience.
- In November 2016 in the show "Good Morning America" as a part of the series 'Body Proud' doctors conducted medical tests on Ashley & Abeda Davis 2 of the popular plus-size models, the tests concluded both to be very healthy. It goes on to break the myth that full figure bodies are unhealthy
- She is into sports like Boxing & practices fitness exercises like Barre, Bootcamp, CrossFit, Rollerblading, Weight-lifting. She usually works out in the morning.
- She got called 'Cow' on her Instagram account for her size, but such mean comments never disturbed her as she felt comfortable with herself.
- Ashley and her trainer have created a fitness program called 'Curvy Fit Club' for the plus size women.
- She is lactose intolerant, she takes sorbet instead of ice creams.
- She was named 'Woman of the Year' by Glamour(2016)
- There is a Barbie doll modeled after Ashley
- She was listed in People Magazine's '25 Most Intriguing People of the Year. for the year2016.
- She featured in the 'Most Influence People in the World' by TIME magazine for 2017.
- Ashley Graham's book: 'A NEW MODEL: What Confidence, Beauty & Power Really Look Like' is a book published by Ashley in 2017, it was published through 'Dey Street Books'
- She can drink a bottle of water in one take.
- She laughs obnoxiously as per her own confession.
- She can apply lipstick without a mirror.
- Ashley is White by race, but has looks similar to Eva Mendez who is a Latino.
- She is the first plus-size model to be hired by Jennifer Lopez for her line of clothing
- Her husband has a pet name for her- Butt.
- She was molested at the age of 10 by a relative f age 18, and had went through domestic abuse.
- Substance abuse: She was addicted to cocaine and was also into alcohol when she was 19.
- Ashley had been making in excess of $100,000 per year since she was 17. But she lost a lot of it in her youth from irresponsible spending.
- She was bullied in school, she was called named like 'thunder thighs', 'cottage cheese thighs'
- She appeared in a video for DNCE singer Joe Jonas.
- Her mother had not seen a black person in real life until she was 18 years old.
- She is of German & English ancestry.
- She had a broken relationship with her father. He was critical of Ashley and had nicknamed her 'Duh', shaming her for her size and calling her dumb.
- Her first boyfriend dumped her for being fat and not willing to have sex with.
- She considers Kim Kardashian her Icon and inspiration.
- Stand up for curves, confidence is sexy.
- Let's face it, America is getting bigger, and women want to see themselves instead of the image of what society says they should be.
- I really feel like I am a lingerie girl
- The healthier you are, the more comfortable you’ll be in your own skin. And that’s all that matters.
- When people see a big person, they equate them with unhealthy, But I think I am the definition of health, even though I am quite curvy.
- If you think everyone is staring at you, just think, 'It must be because I look awesome.'
- Working out helps with depression, sleeping, it helps with confidence.
- There is so much more to being happy in life than being concerned about your weight and the way you look
- I workout, I do my best to eat well. I love the skin I'm in. And I'm not ashamed of a few lumps, bumps or cellulite and you shouldn't be either
- I'm fully aware that I'm being praised for something a lot of women of color have been put down for, simply because I'm white.
- I lost my virginity to a guy I barely knew because he gave me compliments
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