In Russia’s snowy Krasnoyarsk, women preparing for a plus-sized beauty contest parade around a hall dressed in ball gowns and swimsuits – but also take classes in kick-boxing and dancing.
The competition, now in its second year, is organised by a local modelling agency, SibPlus. Inna Sertrakova, who works at the agency, said the pageant in May aims to challenge Russian attitudes that equate beauty with an ultra-slim figure.
“We want to show off our femininity even though it doesn’t conform to current fashion standards because we want to be seen as beautiful,” said Olga Olesnitskaya, 25, who won the competition in 2016.
Another of last year’s contestants, Aleksandra Ryzhenkova, a violinist for the Krasnoyarsk State Opera Theatre & Ballet, said taking part had helped boost her self-image.
“After my children were born I put on a lot of weight and started trying to hide my figure, she said. “But now, after the competition, all of my insecurities melted away.”
Krasnoyarsk is a city and the administrative centre of Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located on the Yenisei River. It is the third largest city in Siberia after Novosibirsk and Omsk, with a population of 106,693 Krasnoyarsk is an important junction of the Trans-Siberian Railway and one of Russia’s largest producers of aluminium.
The city is notable for its nature landscapes; author Anton Chekhov judged Krasnoyarsk to be the most beautiful city in Siberia.