Chloé Dall’Olio’s Journey to Radical Self-Love: Representation, Inclusivity, Arts, and Movement

Find Chloé on Instagram at @chloedallolio and on her website The Body Talks.

I grew up in Catholic Italy, in a family and society that were pretty fat-phobic. I think everyone in the late 80s and 90s was indoctrinated into thinking that thin was the only acceptable body type. My idols were white, thin, fashionable Disney Channel stars, and I was bullied at school because I was fat and wore a brace.

As a kid, I was always the friend, the counsellor, the one people turned to, but I would spend hours alone in the bathroom. I remember looking at my belly after getting out of the bathtub, dreaming of picking up a pair of massive scissors and cutting off the part of my stomach that stuck out. I imagined what it would be like to cut out the fat, to have a flat belly, to one day have my breasts bigger than my belly. I was probably around 7 or 8 years old, already feeling flawed and out of place.

The first time I saw a photo of Candice Huffine, the first American curvy model walking for Jean Paul Gaultier, something in me changed. She was curvy, she was stunning, and I looked like her! Seeing representation and appreciation of a larger body made me feel like I could also fit into the fashion industry. There was hope! That was the catalyst that started my journey. I began researching other curvy models and felt much better about myself.

I remember looking at my belly after getting out of the bathtub, dreaming of picking up a pair of massive scissors and cutting off the part of my stomach that stuck out. I imagined what it would be like to cut out the fat, to have a flat belly, to one day have my breasts bigger than my belly.