Meet Charli Howard: the British model championing body positivity

John Lewis & Partners invited British model Charli Howard to pack some of its newly launched swimwear collection for her holiday to Miami. Because if there’s anyone who can share a positive outlook on feeling body confident, it’s Charli. ‘I love 1950s-inspired swimsuits and high-waisted bikinis – they’re so flattering for my shape,’ says the 28-year-old. ‘Everyone can wear a bikini or a swimsuit, it’s about finding the one that suits you. Try different styles and get something to fit your body rather than trying to work around what’s in the shops.’

This simple yet sound advice sums up Charli’s instinct to challenge the status quo in a world where strong, healthy physiques such as hers are sometimes underrepresented. Not familiar with the bushy-browed Londoner? Then here’s a quick recap: it was Charli who, after falling out with her modelling agency when they criticised her for being too big despite measuring a size 6-8, decided that enough was enough. She wrote an open letter on Facebook condemning their attitude, which went viral. The post attracted the attention of an agency in New York who signed her. Since moving to the US her career has flourished, with appearances in British Vogue and a campaign for Agent Provocateur just a couple of recent highlights.

But more important than the prestigious contracts is Charli’s desire to use her voice. She is not the sort of woman who will be pigeonholed, especially when it comes to her body. It’s odd to think that her size 10-12 shape poses a bit of a conundrum for the fashion industry. ‘It’s really bizarre,’ she says of having to be classed as ‘curve’ – a separate category from the roster of sample-size models. ‘I’m definitely not plus-size but that’s the category I’ve been put in. This is what I am trying to change now… because it’s just ridiculous.’

Charli has documented her journey to feeling happy and comfortable in her own skin in Misfit, a memoir about her dealings with eating disorders and depression. She also channelled her experiences into Splash, a novel for young girls which covers bullying, friendships, acceptance and body positivity. As well as this, she founded the All Woman Project, a non-profit organisation to empower women of all ages around the world and advocate for body diversity.

How does she feel about becoming a spokesmodel for body positivity? ‘I felt like I was searching for something in my life and that this is what I was meant to be doing. It’s a subject that affects so many women, perhaps more than we realise, so just to talk about it and to help change the conversation a bit, I think it’s really important.’

She believes women can be ‘their own worst enemy’ when it comes to body acceptance: ‘It’s really important that we have more representation for women everywhere.’ This desire for greater representation has also inspired her new podcast, All The Feels. Due to launch this summer, it will cast the net far and wide when it comes to interviewees, because: ‘I found that a lot of podcasts I was listening to tended to feature the same people over and over again, so I wanted to speak to people who were unique and whose lives you wouldn’t necessarily know anything about.’ As if that wasn’t enough, she also has a beauty venture in the works: ‘I can’t talk too much about it yet but it’s basically skin-prep products. I’m very excited.’

Enthusiastic, restless and full of energy, Charli has cemented her place as a truly multidimensional poster girl for the new generation.