Denise Bidot

Hailing from Miami, Fla., Denise Bidot is an absolute powerhouse both on and off the runway. Her rise to fame stems predominantly from being the first plus-size model to walk the runway for straight-size brands during New York Fashion Week in 2014. She also made history as the first Latina plus-size model to walk the runway at the semi-annual event.

Bidot helped pave the way for other plus-size models and also sparked conversations about body diversity in the industry going forward. In 2016, years after breaking out of the mold the business tried to place her in, Bidot led her own campaign that further proved the importance of representing different types of bodies. The “There Is No Wrong Way to Be a Woman” movement aims to reclaim individualism among women in the industry.