Meet Courtney Smith, The Plus-Size Designer Who Only Uses Plus-Size Models of Color

New York-based fashion designer Courtney Smith is a designer who is very precise about using plus size models of color in her campaign. Her campaign puts forth a more diverse, realistic and accepting image of women, who are normally surrounded by the slim-means-pretty body ideals portrayed in high fashion editorials and in Hollywood.

The New York-based designer clothing line Rum + Coke,  features sizes from 2 to 22 for women. Smith launched her line over a year ago after having difficulty finding clothes she felt good in.

Smith tells PEOPLE: “I started the company, because I saw a need for women who look like me,”. “And I’ve seen how there’s a lack of plus-size women of color in advertising, and we’re such a big population that I would think someone would notice us.”

On diversifying her models she said: “I feature plus-size women of color in my campaigns, because I feel it’s a necessity. We’re largely under represented,” says 25 years old Smith. “But that’s not to say I would never use a white woman.”

Courtney didn't want to exclude any one that's why her line target women between sizes 2 - 22. “I started designing because I’m designing for women who are confident, who are sure of themselves, who are empowered and I think that doesn’t have a size tag,” she says. “There’s not one size or color or weight limit on confidence.”

  

View Rum and Coke many lookbook collection here

Courtesy of  PEOPLE.COM