LA’s Paloma Elsesser has fast-become something of an Instagram icon. Posting regular selfies that show her body in its full voluptuous form, she’s become an unlikely source of inspiration for people dealing with negative body image issues. Amassing 25k followers on the platform, ironically Elsesser has landed stints modeling for Timberland and more.

“I personally don’t harness much resentment for the term [“plus size model” – which inevitably Elsesser has been labelled with]. By modelling standards, we are not the standard. However, its affects are damaging because plus-size models represent a demographic that is much more realistic.” Hopefully, Elsesser’s successes represent an increasingly fresher outlook in the fashion industry.

Photographer: Daniyel Lowden

Words: Lily Walker