Women that are curvy and plus size have always had to struggle with smashing the stereotypes. But here is this one stereotype that may not last longer and be broken by this 16-year-old Asian model Natalie Nootenboom . She is in to break the notion that Asian women are petite, cute and unique.
She is the niece of famous DJ Steve Aoki. She looks up to him, she told Revelist, “because he broke Asian norms with his music.”
Nootenboom is a curve or plus-size model ― she just signed with the inclusive agency Muse.
“The norm for Asian girls is to be, you know, petite, cute, and skinny,” she said.
“But growing up, I kind of was taller, bigger, more awkward. I was the opposite of what people expected me to be, and so I really want to use my platform to say, you know what? We’re all different. We can’t build a mold and expect people to all fit that mold.”
She said that when trying to create a diverse and inclusive fashion industry, it is pointless to focus on one thing only.
“Diversity is going beyond ethnicity and size. The more I am able to showcase that in the industry, I will.”
Her sister Yumi is also a plus-size model who taught her how to be confident and how to love self in order to appreciate self more.
She cites Katie Willcox, a plus-size model, and author of the book “Healthy is the New Skinny,” as an inspiration.