Is Myla Dalbesio 'Plus Sized'?

Publish date: Wednesday, 12 Nov 2014, 1:30PM

Calvin Klein are in damage control after revealing the face of their latest lingerie line, Myla Dalbesio, was "definitely bigger" than other Calvin Klein models before her.

However, people shouldn't be holding Calvin Klein to blame, as they never hired her as a plus-sized model. That's what she's been dubbed on Twitter.

Dalbesio’s appearance in the campaign – under the tagline Perfectly Fit – sparked a frenzy on social media because Dalbesio is, technically speaking, a plus-size model.

“Genuine WTF moment,” wrote one Twitter user. “Plus-size??? I must be extra plus plus,” wrote another. Another person said: 'I wouldn't consider her a plus size model. Her height and her muscular tone should not categorize as a "big girl."' And a fourth commented angrily: 'How is that plus size??'

Myla Dalbesio for Calvin Klein Photograph: Lachlan Bailey for Calvin Klein

When Myla Dalbesio heard she had been booked for Calvin Klein’s new underwear campaign, she cried. “It was such a surreal moment,” the 27-year-old model said of the campaign.

“It’s kind of confusing because I’m a bigger girl,” Dalbesio said. “I’m not the biggest girl on the market but I’m definitely bigger than all the girls [Calvin Klein] has ever worked with, so that is really intimidating.”

“It’s not like [Calvin Klein] released this campaign and were like, ‘Whoa, look, there’s this plus-size girl in our campaign,” she continued. “They released me in this campaign with everyone else; there’s no distinction. It’s not a separate section for plus-size girls.”

At 5ft11in and a US size 10 (approximately a UK size 14), Dalbesio is indeed a plus-size model – agencies specialising in plus-size models begin at a UK size 12 for women. Dalbesio describes herself as “in between”, in terms of size.

Myla Dalbesio poses for a shot used by her modelling agency, Jag Photograph: Jag Models

The key difference with Dalbesio’s appearance in the Calvin Klein adverts and other plus sized models' appearances is that the only attention called to her size has come from the public. For years women and men have been asking why models who represent “normal” sizing can’t be used in high profile campaigns without it being a gimmick or a marketing ploy. In Dalbesio’s latest work, their voices have been heard.