Ashley Graham And JCPenney Makes Plus-Size Fashion A Whole Lot Hotter

Ashley Graham is taking her mission for size inclusivity to the next level, and she's doing it with a brand that helped kickstart her career.

In a bold new partnership, the supermodel, designer, entrepreneur, and body-positive icon has signed a groundbreaking three-year deal with JCPenney aimed at reshaping the plus-size fashion landscape. And yes, it’s all part of the retailer’s new brand push, “Yes, JCPenney.”

Ashley Graham will collaborate with the retailer on an exclusive collection designed specifically for plus-size bodies, set to debut later this year.

So what's the goal of her new partnership? To toss out the old playbook of boxy, boring fits and replace it with curve-loving pieces that celebrate real bodies, without breaking the bank.

“This is something I’ve dreamed about for a long time,” Ashley Graham said. “JCPenney was a true champion for me right from the very beginning, giving me one of my very first opportunities as a model. Now, to see JCPenney boldly embracing their role as a fashion leader for all body types feels incredibly powerful and inspiring. This isn't just a partnership, it’s the culmination of our shared history and a meaningful step forward in making real, affordable fashion truly inclusive.”

While today she’s known as a global force in fashion and beauty, one of Ashley’s first-ever modeling gigs was for a JCPenney catalog. Now, the partnership marks a major full-circle moment that combines her passion for design with her commitment to inclusivity.

“Plus has always meant more at JCPenney,” the brand said in a press release sent to The Blast, and this collab is here to prove it. Every piece in Graham’s upcoming collection will be crafted with the plus-size customer in mind from start to finish.

With 68% of American women wearing a size 14 or above, but less than 20% of apparel available in those sizes, this partnership is more than fashion. It’s a statement.

“The biggest thing is how you use your words,” Graham previously told Vogue. “I think a lot of people look in the mirror and they say ‘Oh, I’m sad’ or ‘I’m ugly, I’m stupid, I’m not worthy, or XYZ’. You have to really understand that your words have power and something I had to learn at a young age was affirmation.”

“When I was 17 my mum helped me make these affirmations ‘I am bold, I am brilliant, I am beautiful, I am worthy of all, and I love you’. Those are my affirmations and everybody’s affirmations are different, because everybody’s struggling with different issues,” Graham said of her affirmations, adding that it’s the combination of uplifting words and the people you choose to have around you.

“I also think that your community is huge, whether you've got one friend or 20 friends, if those 20 friends are taking you down, it’s going to go quick, and the same with that one friend, so just make sure you've got positive people around you,” she added.

In a world where straight-sizing still dominates most retail racks, Graham and JCPenney are out to change the narrative. They’re not just designing cute clothes in larger sizes. They’re challenging the very mindset of what fashion for extended sizes can (and should) be.

“This partnership goes beyond product,” JCPenney emphasized in a statement, “to accelerate the long-overdue shift in the plus category and shopping experience.”

And the numbers are already moving in the right direction. Currently, plus-size clothing makes up about 30% of in-store inventory, but JCPenney says it’s on track to grow that to 50% by the end of 2025, a fashion-first shift in accessibility for in-store shoppers.

JCPenney and Graham are kicking off what they hope is a new era for retail, a space where fit, function, and fierce style all come together for the women who’ve too often been overlooked.

And for Ashley, it’s personal.

With this multi-year deal, she’s not just putting her name on a label. She’s putting her legacy behind a movement that could redefine the future of plus-size fashion. So next time you walk into JCPenney, don’t be surprised to see a little more “Yes," and a lot more Ashley.