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Minami Gessel is a Gen Z powerhouse

Minami Gessel is the plus-size Asian American model encouraging social awareness and stressing the importance of sharing marginalised stories in the age of social media.

Plus-size model and influencer Minami Gessel is a Gen Z powerhouse pioneering the body positivity movement thatโ€™s currently making waves on social media. When sheโ€™s not studying political science in LA โ€“ which she chose because she believes that women of colour need more representation in US politics โ€“ the 21-year-old is using her online presence to promote self-confidence and advocate more plus-size inclusion in fashion.

โ€˜Thereโ€™s something to be said about using your voice to empower not only yourself, but those around you,โ€™ she says. Channelling this empowerment through her collabs with big-name fashion and beauty brands, Gessel has also made it her priority to ensure more Asians are represented in creative fields. โ€˜When I was younger, I thought the only way Iโ€™d be considered beautiful was to look more Eurocentric. I hope that I can make a difference and represent the thicker Asian girls that you donโ€™t see in media. I want girls not to be afraid of their bodies and embrace them.โ€™

Her fairly unconventional route into modelling is the perfect example of how times have changed. Receiving a message from @thelinebyk asking if she would pose for them, Gessel has since gone on to work with Glossier and Nike, building an impressive portfolio that sheโ€™s right to be proud of. โ€˜Itโ€™s crazy that I get to work with brands that Iโ€™ve admired for so long,โ€™ she says. โ€˜But thereโ€™s still a lot of work to be done when it comes to progress in the fashion world.โ€™

While Gessel thinks that both the fashion and beauty industries are moving in the right direction by including a more diverse range of women in front of and behind the camera, she wants to see a greater transition into sustainability, which is at the heart of her own style. โ€˜When it comes to my wardrobe choices, Iโ€™m always conscious that the fashion industry urgently needs to make changes towards reducing its carbon footprint,โ€™ she says. โ€˜So many lower developing countries suffer due to mass consumption of products and something really needs to be done about it.โ€™

Gessel is definitely a force to be reckoned with and her commitment to eliminating marginalisation, promoting sustainability, and breaking down the barriers surrounding inclusivity and diversity within fashion and beauty is inspiring. โ€˜Itโ€™s up to our generation to be involved,โ€™ she says. I think weโ€™re becoming more socially aware, and even though social media is toxic it has made activism more accessible. Marginalised stories are being shared and thatโ€™s important.โ€™

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