'It was a s***ty time for models because rake thin was in': Robyn Lawley

Robyn Lawley’s rise to one of Australia’s most successful models hasn’t been easy

Despite gracing the covers of Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire and starring in the coveted Sports Illustrated's annual Swimsuit Issue, the 26-year-old says she has constantly dealt with criticism because of her statuesque 188cm, size 14-16 figure.

“When I started it was a very shitty time for models because very skinny was in,” she tells us.

“If you weren't rake thin then you didn’t get booked. It was such an extreme look – one that you couldn’t attain no matter what you tried.”

The mother-of-one, who was in Sydney for Fruit Juice Australia after being named as their ambassador, says designers would book her as a model for shows, then immediately un-book her once they found out her size.

“I wish they would have been willing to just meet me first before they made their decisions to cut me,” she says.

It was only after being categorised as a plus-size model that she was able to get work - but it’s now a label that she despises.

“The term plus-size makes me mad,” she says. “I find it ostracising and I don’t like having this label. It’s been haunting me for years now - I wish we could just get rid of labs and designers could book a model just because they like a girl, regardless of their size.”

WATCH: Melissa McCarthy Says Calling Clothing Plus-Size May Make Women Feel Like They're Not Worthy

The girl from Girraween, New South Wales, says since having daughter Ripley six months ago, she has found it “hard to get serious about modelling”.

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“I’ll be standing there naked having a spray tan and think ‘I don’t want stand here and do this right now’,” she says.

“It’s hard to have to do all that body stuff all the time when I want to be at home having fun and relaxing with my family.”

Her approach these days to food is much more relaxed – Lawley’s current obsession is Nutella croissants and she loves the occasional “hot and spicy” Bloody Mary.

And of course, the occasional glass of fruit juice with no added sugar – preferably orange with lots of pulp!

Robyn Lawley's Bloody Mary recipe from Robyn Lawley Eats:

1 1/2 cups tomato juice
1 tsp tabasco
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
splash of vodka
2 celery sticks
1 lemon slice
Combine juice, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and vodka. Shake well and serve over ice, garnished with celery and lemon.

WATCH: Model devours an entire cheesecake

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