Skateboarding is her preferred mode of transportation, and it's a true alchemy with her body. She straddles it, not in baggy jeans and flat sneakers as urban tradition dictates. She defies the laws of gravity in thigh-high slash-cut dresses and propels herself across the ground with slingbacks and other high-heeled shoes. A skateboarding instructor and plus-size model, Chen Jingyi proves that agility has no fixed silhouette.
A rare silhouette on a board
In R&B videos and skateparks—those adult playgrounds—the figures straddling four-wheeled boards are often slender. They float in oversized, graffiti-covered t-shirts and barely fill out jeans designed to sit close to the waistband. On these frail bodies, streetwear, naturally looser-fitting, even appears disproportionate. It engulfs the flesh, revealing nothing of what lies beneath.
It's as if you absolutely have to be featherweight to be able to take off on the asphalt and melt into the air. In the collective imagination, skateboarding is a discipline that demands a slim figure and little body fat. Yet, flexibility and skill aren't just a number on a scale, and even less so a label on a garment. And for the skeptics who struggle to visualize it or who believe that curves slow you down, Chen Jingy offers a noble glimpse of what's possible.
With her hips that crease the fabric of her outfits, her belly that undulates with every movement, and her deceptively nonchalant gait, this Chinese model defies preconceived notions. This self-assured diva, who brings curves into the public sphere and breathes new life into inclusivity, is in complete harmony with this device, imbued with nostalgia.
For this woman, who could have been a stuntwoman or action movie star in another life, the street is a vast playground. Balancing on the precarious base of her skateboard, she redefines the word "grace," and in this tightrope act, her body doesn't fail her; it moves with her. It's pure, unadulterated poetry.
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Skateboarding as an extension of the body
This model from Hunan is no amateur, nor a beginner. She strolls around with her skateboard under her arm like the "cool girls" in Pinterest photos, gliding over the pavement as if it were a red carpet; she's a seasoned skateboarder. Her skateboard isn't just a practical means of transport to avoid crowded trains.
It's a pedestal, an extension of her legs, a traveling companion. She moves about on it like dolls in pink tutus on the base of music boxes, inspiring lightness, freedom, and confidence. While for some, skateboarding is primarily a style statement, a demonstration of flow, for Chen, it's a way of inhabiting her body differently, without trying to change or diminish it.
Her movements are fluid and make us believe it's easy, when without training, a fall is inevitable. Calm and unflappable, she embodies quiet strength in all its splendor. With each slalom run, Chen gives the illusion of floating above the ground, of weightlessness. However, this young woman, a human embodiment of Mulan, doesn't shy away from the occasional mishap. Sometimes the board slips from her feet, her ankle buckles in the rush, or her body gives out mid-stride. Occasionally, she even ends up with bruises, cuts, and mud stains. This doesn't diminish her talent; it's all part of the game. In addition to calming our insecurities , she transforms our perception of failure.
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Heels, a dress… and lots of confidence
Chen engages in this intrepid activity in outfits completely at odds with the original attire. Wrapped in city clothes worthy of pin-ups of yesteryear, she deviates from the loose dress code of this sliding sport, but she also defies the prohibitions associated with her body type .
Her polished appearance contrasts sharply with her trusty steed. Whether she's wearing thigh-high slit skirts or figure-hugging Japanese dresses, she makes waves on the pavement. This woman, undeniably with a taste for risk and an adrenaline rush, adds a touch of spice to her rides by pounding the ground in stilettos or high heels. Her skateboarding outings are a lesson in self-acceptance as well as a demonstration of elegance. It's the perfect embodiment of the adage "an iron fist in a velvet glove."
While curvy women have historically been taught to make themselves appear smaller and to darken their silhouettes, Chen uses her skateboard as a springboard for her curves. In outfits that magazines might deem "incongruous" on a fuller figure, this skateboarding icon defies societal norms. Because body shape should never be an obstacle but a source of achievement. And for Chen, it's a driving force, a tool.
