Canadian designer Mark Fast is not an unfamiliar name to most fashionistas. His signature tight knit dresses are a constant edition to articles in Vogue, Grazia, Glamour and more. Although his designs have previously been associated with thin, slender figures, he’s broken that mold this year at LFW, where his team of stylists decided to tackle the ‘too thin’-catwalk-model stereotype. They hired 3 sizes 12-14 models in their London Fashion Week catwalk show yesterday.

This is not just a publicity stunt – Mark Fast is involved in “All Walks beyond the Catwalk,” a fashion initiative that endeavors to change the perception of industry standards for young designers and the somewhat elitist vision of beauty within the fashion industry. It was created by Caryn Franklin who works with designers early in their careers to “break the mold of what is seen on the runway.” Models include women ages 18-65 and in sizes 8-16.

Supporters include British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, who attended the All Walks beyond the Catwalk launch party and is infamous for her strong opinions on size zero garments. Her opinions were made clear to designers when a photo shoot with established star models resulted in them struggling to fit into the clothing in their studios.

Read more about Alexandra’s opinions and the Mark Fast LFW show from the Telegraph’s Fashion section.