Plus-size male models recreate Calvin Klein advert to challenge beauty standards

They hope the shoot will continue to push boundaries of what is deemed beautiful

(Instagram: @tonytrottphoto

A group of plus-size male models have recreated a Calvin Klein advert to kick-start the conversation surrounding male beauty standards.

Thanks to the likes of Ashley Graham and Iskra Lawrence, there has been considerable progress in terms of body positivity for women, but where do men fit into this movement?

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding plus-size male models within the fashion industry is yet to subside but one group of men are out to change all that.

On a mission to change the perception of male beauty, plus-size male model Darnel Ghramm has created a new project called #WeAreBigAndTall.

And the first venture he set upon was to recreate Calvin Klein's #MyCalvins A$AP Mob advertising campaign with a body-positive spin.

Inspired after being tagged in a post on Instagram that read, “I’ve never seen a plus male model,” Ghramm enlisted the help of photographer Tony Trott and a group of fellow plus-size male models, including Rob Robinson, Arcadio Ady Del Valle and Miguel Rodriguez, for the shoot which he hopes will help challenge the narrative of what is deemed beautiful in men’s fashion and beauty.

“Re-creating the shoot was fairly easy,” Ghramm told MIC.

“I got together a few plus males with different ethnicities, height, sizes and shapes... We exist and we are constituted by many different things. Whether big, tall or simply fall outside of the worlds standards, we are all handsome and worthy.”

Ghramm also hopes that the shoot will help continue to push the boundaries and improve visibility for plus-size male models in the industry.

“We will eventually earn our spot. We will see ads everywhere and it won't longer be taboo to see a full figure,” he explained.

“Eventually, we'll drop the 'plus' and simply be models.”

This isn’t the first time a group of plus-size models have taken on Calvin Klein’s famous ads though. Last month, model Diana Sirokai recreated the ad featuring the Kardashian-Jenner clan which saw the sisters posing in their underwear and tank tops.

To help recreate the shoot, Sirokai recruited the help of photographer Karizza and fellow curve models Tammy B, Daisy Christina and Denise Mercedes to imitate the poses in a now viral image.