Modelling
Lawley's first magazine shoot was for Dolly in 2006. At the beginning of her career she appeared in a plus-size clothing range for New Zealand brand EziBuy. Lawley has modelled for the cover of French Elle, Marie Claire (France, Australia) and Cosmopolitan.[6] In June 2011, Lawley featured on the cover of Vogue Italia alongside fellow plus-sized models Tara Lynn and Candice Huffine, shot by Steven Meisel. In addition, she appeared on the March 2012 cover of Madison, becoming the first Australian plus-sized model to appear on the cover of an Australian fashion magazine, as well as the first plus-size model to appear in an editorial specifically produced for Australian Vogue. Lawley has also appeared in editorials for Dazed & Confused, Glamour, Marie Claire Hungary and the British and Croatian editions of Elle.[7][8][9][10][11]
Lawley has walked for designers including Peter Morrissey at Australian Fashion Week, Elena Miro at Milan Fashion Week as well as in a one-woman show for OneStopPlus, streamed on to a New York Times Square moving billboard.[12][13]
Lawley has appeared in campaigns for plus-size brands including Evans, Lane Bryant, Marina Rinaldi and Persona Collezioni.[14][15][16][17] Lawley also modeled for the debut of H & M's inclusive line as well as Mango's plus-size line, Violeta by Mango.[18] She modeled for the debut and several other collections of Swan by Clements Ribeiro for Evans, designed by husband and wife duo Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro.[14][19][20] Lawley appeared in campaigns for Ralph Lauren, becoming the first plus-size model to be used in their in-store advertising.[21] Lawley appeared in Lane Bryant's rebranding campaign, which included print magazine ads and several billboards in New York City.[15]
Lawley has also appeared in advertising for brands such as Calezdonia's Summer 2012 campaign photographed by Raphael Mazzucco and Boux Avenue lingerie. She also appeared in campaigns for lingerie brand Chantelle, photographed by Greg Kadel along with models including Maryna Linchuk.[21][22][23] Her first beauty campaign was Face Time for Barneys New York Holiday 2013, photographed by Ben Hassett.[24]
Lawley was photographed by Kenneth Willardt for a fine art exhibition, Size Does Matter.[25][26][27] The show was on exhibit from November to December 2013 at the 588 Gallery in Chelsea.[25][26][27] Lawley was photographed nude with various animals, including rabbits, an owl, an octopus and tarantulas.[25][26][27] Each image in the exhibit had a QR code.[28] When the QR code was scanned with a cell phone, added movement in the image was visible on the cell phone screen.[25][28] In addition to the images in the gallery, a billboard with Lawley flanked by bunnies was placed on the West Side Highway in Manhattan.[25][28]
In early 2015, Robyn Lawley became a Sports Illustrated "Rookie", making her the first "plus-size" model to be featured in the magazine's annual Swimsuit Issue.[29] The assistant managing editor of Sports Illustrated had stated that Lawley "had been on her radar for years and is being highlighted as a model rather than as a "plus size" model."[29] Lawley has been in the issue, 2015, 2016, 2017 and in 2018 she also filmed the series "In her own words".[30]
In 2016 Robyn Lawley became Westfields beauty ambassador and starred in the 2016/17 campaigns across Australia called “Join the front line”[31][32]
During the 2020-2021 pandemic, Lawley created a podcast series called “Everybody” with Robyn Lawley via Audible.
Interviewing guests like Turia Pitt and Jameela Jamil—as well as 'ordinary' people who continue to conquer the world in spite of chronic illness—Lawley turns a critical eye on the #BodyPositive movement.[33][34]
Writing
Lawley has written two articles on body image for The Daily Beast. Her first article, in September 2012 addressed the media's response to Lady Gaga's weight gain.[45] The second article, in October 2013, addressed the thigh gap trend.[46]
In 2018, Lawley started an Online petition against lingerie brand Victoria Secret. The petition was created to ‘help change the minds of Victoria’s Secret to be more diverse and inclusive of body shapes and sizes on their runways!’[47][48][49][50]
The petition garnered over 10000 signatures worldwide.
Victoria Secret cancelled their show,[51] but has subsequently completely rebranded now, including size diversity in their new VScollective.[52]
Lawley also writes a monthly column for 9honey website.[53]
