Ashley Graham was told she’d never be a cover girl.
The 28-year-old model has defied her critics to cover five magazines in a year and admits she is focused on having "longevity" in the fashion industry.
She said: "For 10 years I’d been told I was always going to be a catalogue girl, never a cover girl. Well, I got with IMG and did five covers in a year, boom, boom, boom. See, if you have a pretty face doors will open, but your job isn’t just to walk through them, it’s to get invited back.
"Look, I hit the beauty jackpot, I get it, but that’s not enough, you’ve got to have more to have longevity in this business. It’s always been, ‘OK, so what can I do now?’"
And the brunette beauty hates being labelled as "plus size" as she thinks the term is "so divisive".
She added to Vogue magazine: "When we’re supposed to be talking about diversity for women, it feels so divisive and purpose-defeating, giving us yet another label.
"Do I sometimes wish I were thinner? God, in the old days, absolutely I did, but now I feel that to lose weight would be disloyal to myself. A lot of who I am is connected to my size, and I am so happy with who I am."
Meanwhile, Ashley previously insisted she hasn’t "lost a pound" this year.
She shared: "I am more than my measurements. I’m not Ashley Graham just because I’m curvy. For the past sixteen years, my body has been picked apart, manipulated, and controlled by others who don’t understand it. But now my career has given me a platform to use my voice to make a difference.
"I know the comments won’t all be positive. I’m a confident woman with thick skin, and as a model in the public eye, I’m conditioned to accept criticism. But last week, I admit that I had a tougher time brushing off the haters.
"The reality is I haven’t lost a pound this year. In fact, I’m actually heavier than I was three years ago, but I accept my body as it is today. I work out not to lose weight but to maintain my good health."
Ashley Graham: I was told I’d never be a cover girl
