We are All Worthy

In the age of social media, the word “perfect” holds more significance than you might think: the perfect face, the perfect body, the perfect vacation, the perfect job, the perfect outfit, the perfect life – you name it, social media got it. Being oversaturated by clicks, swipes, likes, and tweets can become suffocating and take a toll on one’s mental well-being. However, the glossy social-media feeds have found a breath of fresh air: Hunter McGrady, who puts forth the power of self-confidence and the importance of taking care of your mental health.

McGrady is a 6-foot, size-18 model, who has captured the attention of many for her unfiltered posts on Instagram, promoting body appreciation and shedding light on natural body features, such as cellulite, stretch marks, and even butt pimples. This confidence isn’t something she stumbled upon one day; she reflects on her own insecurities – and accepts and appreciates them. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was confidence,” she adds.

Not only is McGrady paving the way for brighter, more realistic social-media connections, but she’s also moving mountains for inclusivity through her knowledge in the fashion sphere. Her partnership with QVC has culminated in a game-changing fashion line – All Worthy Hunter McGrady. It was important for her to not only be size-inclusive, but acknowledge the role one's height also plays when trying to find the right outfit. Designed with a plus-size perspective, the entire collection is available in sizes XXS through 5X, and the products come in petite, regular, and tall lengths (“Everything we design truly looks fabulous on everybody”). She wants to shatter the social stigma on the plus-size community – what they should or shouldn’t be able to wear. Even within the fashion industry, while she acknowledges all the progress that’s been accomplished thus far, they are “not even near where we need to be.” Her own experience of not being able to walk into a store in New York City and find something that fits her body type shows how lots of brands and designers are “excluding a huge customer base.” The push to make the influencer market more diverse is an ongoing effort, as well. “If I ever have a brand that I work with, I always bring up some of my plus-size friends, friends who are women of color – because they deserve a platform just as much as anybody else,” she says.

In the midst of this pandemic, McGrady has turned to meditation to center herself and take care of her own mental health. As someone who has always struggled with depression and anxiety, she uses her platform to “highlight things that are important to me and normalize these things because the more we talk about it, the more people won’t feel so alone.” She has worked closely with The Jed Foundation (JED), a non-profit that educates young people and lets them know that it’s “OK to not be OK.” With the rising mental-health concerns brought on by COVID-19, so many things may seem to be out of our control. However, even the darkest of clouds have silver linings, and she has learned “the value of spending time with people,” while acknowledging that all essential workers are “the ones who are making sure that our lives are still running seamlessly.” Looking towards 2021 and beyond, McGrady hopes to further establish her brand, All Worthy, as a lifestyle, ultimately creating “a community of people just really empowering one another.”

Writer: Hazel Mekkattukulam

Photographer & Videographer: Sarah Lenoir 

Hair & Makeup: Vassilis Kokkinidis (vassiliskokkinidis.com - for The Distinct Artist Agency - using Oribe, T3 Micro, Mario Badescu Skin Care & Elizabeth Arden)

Editor: Eiko Watanabe

Special thanks to EPK Media (@myepk & @epkmedia - epkmedia.com)