Picking up a last-minute party dress is easier said than done for plus-size women. The likes of Lululemon and Urban Outfitters don’t make clothes above a US 14, and the industry is losing out on as much as $14 billion by failing to serve this market. So what do curvy women want from their clothes?

Leading weight-loss brands such as Atkins and Weight Watchers are using celebrity ambassadors to promote a more holistic way of living, as people favour larger lifestyle changes rather than quick-fixes. And it's working; the strategy is winning over those once stigmatised by the industry.

Public opinion – manifested in online outrage and offline protests – pushed to get Protein World’s infamous ‘Beach Body Ready’ ad banned by the ASA. But London mayor Sadiq Khan is taking it further, banning all ads that display ‘unrealistic body expectations’ from public transport.

Hashtag crazes like #A4Challenge and #BellyButtonChallenge reveal the huge social pressure Chinese women are under to conform to narrow beauty ideals. With a variety of eating disorders on the rise, some brands are now helping young people reject old conventions and pursue self-acceptance.