Copyright hellomagazine
Twelve years ago, former Victoria’s Secret model Cameron Russell stepped onto the Ted Talk stage to deliver a speech about the hollowness of beauty. Her honesty and critique of an industry built on whiteness and thinness were quickly dismissed by many as self-victimisation - a reaction that proved her point. When a woman is visibly beautiful, any attempt to challenge the system that benefits her is treated as ingratitude or arrogance, as if her face disqualifies her from having an analysis. Models took the hint - clamming up when anyone braced the subject of pretty privilege or mental health in the industry. Regardless of how honestly they tackled the question, they simply couldn’t win. That was until three years later, when in 2015, Charli Howard penned the Facebook post. The model slammed her agency for dropping her for being ‘too big,’ despite being medically underweight. The commentary went viral, and the reign of Charli, the femme formidable, began. “I’ve been a UK size 6 and then a UK size 14-16 - I can tell you that women get sh*t whatever size they are,” the British creative says over Zoom. She speaks from home, sheathed in a snug chocolate knit, brunette hair bundled up and face completely devoid of makeup. Her bone structure is truly a thing of wonder. “We've put so much onus on bodies that when you show a real body which isn’t super tight or super thin or doesn't have marks or acne, it feels like this act of radical act of self-love and it really shouldn't be like that,” she says, reflecting on her social media. Since splitting from her then-agency over a decade ago, Charli has become a beacon of body positivity - using her Instagram to embrace her natural figure. Naked flesh indented by bra underwires, cellulite and unfiltered selfies pepper her feed. “Bodies are seen as a trend and they shouldn't be,” she says, referencing the ominous return of 90s ‘heroin chic.’ “We forget how unwell so many women were because of that time. I knew it would happen again because when I was a teenager, the 80s were really fashionable. Then, for the generation after that, the 90s were really fashionable - it's really weird.” The model’s early twenties took her to New York, where she rejected the thin ideal that had been thrust upon her. She began eating properly and steadily started to book jobs. It took her six years of being signed to finally reap the rewards of modelling financially. “It all happened for a reason I suppose, but it’s very strange to me that I only started to make money by ironically, being myself - after years of putting myself down and battling eating disorders,” she candidly notes from the comfort of her living room. Her success arrived just as plus-size modelling began gaining momentum - though the broader flaws of the modelling industry remained unaddressed: “You've almost got to be one extreme or another to be taken seriously. That was always a struggle that I had with the body positive movement because there were a lot of the plus size models who definitely paved the way for women coming into this industry but I was never that size. I was one of the first to be an in-between size and a lot of bigger girls felt like I was taking their jobs away from them because I was still, I guess, palatable,” she says with a subtle wince. The humming cityscape of the Big Apple was a far cry from the 34-year-old’s upbringing. She had something of a nomadic childhood, bouncing in between houses and schools due to her father’s work in the forces. She first dipped her toes into the fashion world at UAL’s London College of Fashion, though she wryly recalls being asked to leave due to her less-than-stellar pattern-cutting skills - proof that designing can be, as any designer will tell you, a real ball-ache. A self-professed homebody, she calls South London home - a postcode she has since moved back to following her modelling days. “If you saw me in the street, you'd probably think ‘that's not who I think it is’ because I'm so different without makeup on,” she says. “I like to be completely cosy and chilled. I love the performance of getting ready and putting the glam on - but it is a performance. It's not real life and that's what I think people should be aware of when it comes to social media.” And for those who aren't dissuaded and remain dead-set on trying out modelling? “It's always great to grab opportunities, but you have to be very realistic about it and unfortunately realise that most people are not going to be Bella Hadid. That's the thing with modelling - when people go into it, they think ‘Oh, I'm going to be Kate Moss,’ but that’s like saying to a basketball player that they’re going to be LeBron James.” She continues: “You have to view yourself as a business, and that is very difficult when it is literally about the way you look. It can be very personal, but you have to view it that way. Don't feel bad about asking for space, don't feel bad about asking for food - you are a human - and be very careful around men.” After a quick chuckle about the horrors of being papped for Getty Images (why do they always take photographs from below?) we recalibrate the conversation, focusing more on Charli’s shift from model to writer. I’m cautious not to pigeonhole her. “I’m now selectively modelling. I only work with brands I like and I don't have a model agent. I very rarely work with male photographers. My view towards beauty has changed a lot as well. If I was speaking to anyone getting into modelling now, I’d say it's so important that you have a job or talent on the side. My only regret really is that I wish I'd focused more on writing a bit earlier because I put so much emphasis on looking good that I overlooked all the other talents that I had. We should really focus a lot more on education. I love [modelling] but it's not the most important thing in my life anymore.” This fiercely feminist, protective trait translates across a range of subjects, including more ‘taboo’ themes. Back in 2024, Charli was invited to speak at the Houses of Parliament about the insidiousness of Deepfake pornography - a digital alteration of a person so that they appear to be someone else. “Our bodies have been taken away from us women and have never really truly been ours,” she posits passionately. “Gen Z and Gen Alpha are a lot more clued up with social media, but I think a lot of people of my generation are still posting stuff without necessarily thinking about what the repercussions could be. You've got to be so careful about putting pictures of your children online because anyone can get their photos. I remember when Emma Watson experienced being deepfaked. AI is so advanced that it can ruin lives.” Would she ever license her likeness for AI modelling? “No, no, no,” she rebuffs. “We're already seeing brands use AI faces and bodies and once again, taking away one of the only jobs that women can actually out-earn men in. They are still creating a very idealised version of what a woman is. It’s creepy and it’s taking away people’s livelihoods.” The creative cites Tilly Norwood as an example - an AI actor that raised ethical and professional concerns, leading to widespread criticism from actors and unions. “To be clear, 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor," SAG-AFTRA officials said in a statement. "It's a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers - without permission or compensation." Unlike AI, authenticity is at the heart of all Charli does. Working alongside charity Refuge, the largest domestic abuse organisation in the UK, brings her great fulfilment: “I'm really passionate about helping women become more aware of different forms of abuse. I experienced different forms of abuse, but financial was one of them. I was really embarrassed by the fact that I'd been taken advantage of financially. I want to show women that there's no shame in that and that you're not the person that should be ashamed.” The star skirts around the subject, but she did open up on social media last year about being maltreated by her then-partner, who also owed her money - an experience that triggered a prolonged period of depression. Her candour in the aftermath was a reminder that mental health isn’t linear, and neither is our relationship with ourselves. Yet, despite building her personal brand on lifting women up and being included in 2021’s Forbes 30 under 30, Charli rejects the title of influencer. For now, she’s channelling her energy into authorship, working on her new book Flesh which is set for release in February 2026. It will be the writer’s third book to hit the shelves, following her acclaimed 2019 autobiography Misfit and children’s novel Splash. “I've got more passion for writing, but it's also given me more meaning and I feel so much more accomplished when I write something,” she says. “It's a lot more personal. I love the glamour of modelling and imagery, but I think there's so much more importance when it comes to your words.” Much like writing, acting offers a powerful outlet for self-expression - a realm that Charli is now beginning to explore. She can’t talk about it though, it’s all very hush hush. What’s clear is that she’s moving beyond the visual, trading aesthetics for insight: “Nowadays, I'm fascinated by women who've achieved really great things. I love Malala. I saw her at a party once and I was too shy to go up to her. I just think women like that are amazing - women who really stand up for themselves. Also women who are killing it in sports like Dina Asher-Smith. I love seeing women do well in all these different fields, instead of like women who just really look amazing.” For now, Charli remains glued to her desk, fleshing out the final pages of her book which she says is her most personal work to date. She keeps her peace by surrounding herself with a close-knit circle of friends and family, reminding me that “a friend to all is a friend to none.” Christmas is her time to shine - and she’s already started hunting for vintage gems to pad out her wardrobe (90s Blumarine is a particular favourite.) Nobody is pretending that beauty doesn’t open doors. But if models themselves are saying that good looks might fill your Instagram grid but won’t guarantee happiness, isn’t it time we take their word for it? Nevertheless, this still leaves us in a strange bind. We’re expected to look effortlessly polished online while still revealing flashes of personality - to be cool and quirky, but not a pick-me. And without veering into Barbie monologue territory, the pressure, to appear perfect not just for society, but for ourselves, can be suffocating. A decade ago, as an 18-year-old model, I DM-ed Charli for advice about agents pressuring me to lose weight. I’d read about her agency fall-out and was revved-up by her ferocious critique of an industry no one dared to challenge - after all, being a model was considered a privilege, and complaints received eye rolls. She invited me to write an article for her foundation All Woman Project, her reply showing a rare kindness and compassion in an industry that seldom offered either. During our conversation (one of those full circle moments the universe can’t resist) I put the question to her: how do we as women move forward in an overstimulated world fixated on looks and visuals? She delivered the perfect answer. “We all deserve for the little girls inside us to evolve into the person that we needed to see. You can become the woman that you wish you'd seen growing up.” And for that, I’m glad I had Charli. Charli Howard's book 'Flesh' is released on 19th March 2026.
