Pay Attention to Liris Crosse

By Darralynn Hutson

Image taken by Nina Ferrell 2025 NYFW, Nina Parker Show

I have written about Liris Crosse for ten years, and every season there is another reason to pay attention.

This year, it is impossible to ignore her.

Photo: Jerilyn Harper

The model, educator, author and mentor has found herself at the center of a much larger conversation about fashion, representation and what happens when a woman refuses to disappear.

Liris has been working for more than two decades. She has appeared in Vogue Italia (written by me) Essence and Glamour, walked major runways and became the first plus-size model to win Project Runway. But what interests me most about Liris today is not simply what she has accomplished as a model.

It is what she is building beyond modeling.

I have watched that evolution through my own reporting. Three years ago, I was writing about Liris as a woman continuing to break barriers in an industry that has not always made room for bodies like hers. Last year, I wrote about her work as an educator and mentor, particularly her efforts to prepare the next generation of models for the realities of the business.

Now, in 2026, both sides of her career are colliding.

Photo: Disney/Spencer Pazer

After her controversial appearance on Project Runway, when Bryan Barrientos’ unconventional-materials look made from electrical cords and a garbage bag, Liris spoke publicly about what happened and why she felt it was important to address it. 

She went back to work, specifically on Instagram where she challenged Christian Siriano to include her in his show and he did.

During this September NYFW, Liris walked five shows. And that matters because Liris is showing us something that doesn't always get enough attention in fashion: longevity.

She represents what happens when experience becomes expertise.

For more reporting on the women reshaping fashion from the inside, come inside the Suite.