As much as I love cheering for paid maternity and paternity leaves , looking at women working during pregnancy with their bumps at full display, pumps me with serotonin galore. It’s a testament to the love and resilience women harbour in this roller coaster stage of their lives. The rocking my bump when preggo brigade is joined by the likes of Ashley Graham, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Bar Refaeli, Lisa Haydon and many others on runways and cover pages. Not only have they succeeded in dismantling the archaic association of fashion with thinness but also in propagating the fact that acing motherhood and a career simultaneously is no impossible feat.
Let’s have a look at how these ladies have left an imprint on the fashion landscape by choosing to break barriers when expecting:
1. Maggie Joy Maurer
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The recently concluded London Fashion Week saw Maggie Joy Maurer strut the runway for Nensi Dojaka’s Fall 2022 ready-to-wear collection. Cradling her bump, she was seen dressed in a nude sequined creation by the winner of the 2021 LVMH Prize.
2. Carol Gracias
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Indian supermodel Carol Gracias did it way back before it was cool, in the year 2016. The Indian runway was taken by storm when a visibly pregnant Carol, draped in a Gaurang saree at the Lakme Fashion Week walked with sheer poise and confidence. Props to her!
3. Bar Refaeli
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One of the most memorable ELLE Spain shoots, in my opinion, is the one with then pregnant Israeli model Bar Refaeli. Shot at a beachy destination, she’s seen channelling her inner goddess with her slick yet scruffy tresses.
4. Lisa Haydon Lalvani
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Everybody knows Lisa’s a trailblazer. Now, a mother of 3, this specific cover was shot for ELLE India in 2017, when Lisa was pregnant with her first son. This was the body issue, and it was definitely one to remember.
5. Ashley Graham
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Walking for the Tommy Hilfiger x Zendaya show pregnant, was surely a redefining moment for Ashley Graham. Her Instagram is a holy grail for expectant mothers as she keeps servin’ looks and squashes the notion that maternity fashion is meant to be drab and monotonous.
6. Jourdan Dunn
While six months pregnant, Jourdan Dunn graced the runway in a design that highlighted her bump in the best way possible. Gaultier’s genius and Dunn’s attitude- take a bow everyone.
7. Kareena Kapoor Khan
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Yeah, we know Bebo’s not a model, but this needs a special mention. I evidently remember that day in August 2016, when she walked the runway for Sabyasachi in a green bridal set and god, oh god- I’m still reeling from that. She practically glowed in Sabya’s glorious couture and I bet this show will go down as one of the most iconic ones in the history of Indian Fashion Weeks.
As I highlight and celebrate the achievements of these women, I can’t help but also mention that pregnancy isn’t easy for everyone. Attending shows, shooting for covers and working in a corporate environment entails the factor of assured safety. However, not every woman is privileged enough to work in such environments or rather, lack the freedom of a choice regarding whether or not to work during the final trimester of their pregnancy. So, what we can collectively do is push for better alternatives, extend our never-ending support and always offer that seat on public transport.
