Challenging Beauty Standards: A Chinese Designer’s Fight for Body Positivity
Photo: AFP
Surrounded by racks of colorful dresses and blazers in Guangzhou, Amanda Yao is on a mission. The day she opened her plus-size clothing brand, Yue Design, she knew she wanted to do more than just offer larger sizes; she wanted to spark a movement of self-love and body acceptance.
Yao’s journey started four years ago after returning to China from the UK, where she’d grown accustomed to more inclusive sizing options. She found that, while similar, pluralism was rarer back in China.
“I found it especially hard to buy clothing here,” Yao explains, “Items often didn’t look anything like their online photos. I got sick of the ‘one-size-fits-all’ mentality.”
Yao found herself drawn to vibrant colors and playful designs – styles typically absent in the Chinese plus-size market. These were qualities she wanted to embody for her homegrown label, offering a vibrant contrast to the often drab, “slimming” dark colors readily available.
“I want my customers to have clothes that express who they are inside, rather than soulless pieces that exist only to make them look thinner,” she says.
This commitment to inclusivity extends beyond simply carrying a wider range of sizes. Yao actively works to empower her customer base by showcasing a fashion-forward aesthetic that celebrates all body types.
In her Guangzhou office and showroom, Yao models a bright green cardigan and skirt set, her energy radiating as she shares her vision.
“I never post photos of myself wearing black online,” she laughs, wearing a pink silk jacket from her latest collection.
“Many people believe plus-size women should only wear dark colors, but I want to show women that they can wear whatever they want,” Yao says, emphasizing that these are “not just dry, boring clothes—we offer fun outfits for women who want to express themselves,”
Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.
Yao regularly posts pictures of her outfits on social media, often sporting leggings and tight-fitting workout tops she wears to climb the hills near her office. A recent caption reads, “Reject body anxiety. So what if I wear a strappy top and have big arms?” It’s drawing in a dedicated following of over 15,000 followers – a testament to the growing desire for diverse representation and upliftment.
The Plus-Size Fashion Gap
While a majority of Chinese retailers focus on smaller size offerings, a few brands have initiated steps towards inclusivity. Lingerie brand Neiwai and loungewear company An Action A Day have started featuring larger models in their advertising, yet most of their lines are limited to women weighing no more than 70 kilograms.
For Yao, the battle against ingrained societal norms is a long one.
“When it comes to clothing, most Chinese retailersHEL think that larger people don’t need fashion and don’t need beautiful clothes,” Yao says. “But we have work, we have families, we have respectable lives, and we also need some fancy clothes sometimes.”
On social media, she encounters ironically the opposite – excessive scrutiny applied to those daring to show their bodies, with many falling prey to harsh criticism
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