Taylor Long wears a lot of hats: model, designer, student, founder, and overall badass. When Taylor was getting her fashion degree she was frustrated at the lack of body diversity being taught in courses. This only continued as Taylor began modeling and realized even brands preaching their inclusivity, really weren’t all that inclusive. We could say that Taylor mixed sugar, spice, and everything nice to make Nomads Swim, but the reality is probably closer along the lines of inclusivity, sustainability, and a belief that everyone has the right to look and feel sexy. Born was the swimwear brand breaking barriers that shouldn’t exist in the first place.
Q
What is the biggest misconception about size-inclusivity?
A
Many brands that claim to be size-inclusive actually aren’t. Size-inclusivity has become a buzzword within the fashion industry. In recent years, large brands have co-opted it as a marketing tactic. In the plus-size community, size-inclusive brands have size ranges that at a minimum go up to a size 5X.
Q
Have people reached out about the effect Nomads have had on their lives?
A
We have received such positive feedback from our customers on our size range and brand imagery! It really means a lot to our customers that we champion and prioritize size inclusion and racial diversity.
Q
What pushed you to start Nomads?
A
My background is in fashion design, and I’ve also been a plus-size model for the last 6 years. I have modeled internationally in Australia and worked for major brands like Target, Soma, and Kohl’s. During my time in design school, I noticed the lack of inclusive design within the industry and its institutions. Most fashion design schools do not teach or encourage students to design or pattern for curvy and plus bodies. This has led to our current fashion industry landscape and illustrates why many brands and designers do not design for curvy women or do so as an afterthought with unstylish options.
More often than not, the clothes intended for curvy and plus bodies are rarely ever as stylish as those designed for their straight-size counterparts. Once I started modeling, this became even more apparent as I was getting booked on jobs to model plus-size garments, specifically swimwear. I became incredibly passionate about the swimwear market and its lack of options and wanted to do something about it. With this in mind, I decided early on to hone my skillset and effectively design for all body types. Looking back, all of my experiences in school and as a model led me to create Nomads.
Q
Can you speak on how Body Dysmorphia affects today’s society, mainly how the media portrays “body types”?
A
Body dysmorphia is such a huge issue that affects so many of us. Before every single one of us had phones and apps like Instagram and Tiktok, body dysmorphia was fueled by fashion magazines featuring scary-thin models, diet ads displayed everywhere, and our own family and friends were pushing their own internalized fatphobia onto us. While the fashion industry has started to embrace a wider array of body types, apps like TikTok and Instagram carry the body dysmorphia torch. With all of the photo and video apps available now that make it so easy to nip, tuck, and smooth our appearance, it’s no wonder that so many of us deal with body image issues. It fuels this constant need to want our bodies to look and be perfect. However, it’s important to remember that most of the images and videos we see are not real and have most likely been altered or edited.