The runway’s size-inclusion gap is structural

Vogue Business assessed 55 Autumn/Winter 2026 menswear shows and presentations across Milan and Paris. Of 2,523 looks, 98.6 per cent were straight-size, 1.2 per cent mid-size and 0.2 per cent plus-size. Milan recorded no mid-size or plus-size looks in that dataset.

Its Spring/Summer 2026 womenswear report covered 9,038 looks across 198 shows in the four major capitals. Straight-size casting accounted for 97.1 per cent, with 2 per cent mid-size and 0.9 per cent plus-size. London performed better than the other capitals, but the overall picture remained narrow.

Runway casting happens inside a production system built around samples. When a collection is developed in a narrow sample range, the available cast is restricted before the casting director begins. A wider call cannot solve garments that were never cut for more bodies.

That is why occasional high-profile bookings do not necessarily indicate structural change. Durable inclusion requires design, fitting, production and casting decisions to move together across seasons.

A ranking must report actual demand, which means current bookings remain evidence. But it should not confuse the frequency of a body type with an objective standard of beauty, health or merit.

The Cast Index therefore excludes appearance from its scoring pillars and keeps health information separate from ranking judgements. It can document who the industry books while still making the limits of that industry visible.