In a scene where tall, thin women are the standard, 19-year-old Barbara Ferreira, affectionately known by her followers as “Barbie”, is changing the ideals of the fashion industry, one Instagram post at a time.

Barbie first began making waves when she was still in high school. She sent her photos to American Apparel and soon began modeling for the company. The photos of her and her now close friend, Diana Veras, made her an instant Instagram star. Over the next couple of years, Barbie moved beyond her social media stardom - she soon signed a modeling contract with Wilhelmina New York and it's been uphill since then.

Barbie is part of the growing movement of plus-size women attempting to overthrow the oppressive standards of the modeling industry. As a child, Barbara remembers feeling that being a model was an impossible goal for her - no one in magazines or on TV had a body like hers. But now, Barbie is making the impossible possible. Earlier this year, a campaign by American Eagle featuring untouched photos of Barbie in a bathing suit went viral. As a child, Barbie admits that she had no one with her body type to aspire to be like. Now, Barbie is paving the pathway for younger generations with the same dreams that she once had.

In an interview with Time Magazine, Barbie said, “Curvy models aren't usually thought of as models. But everyone being called a “curvy model” or a “plus-size model” is breaking the boundary. We’re trying to get rid of this labels and boxes and just be models of all shapes and sizes.”

Barbie isn't alone in her quest. She and other curvy models, like Sports Illustrated model, Ashley Graham, are making waves in an industry that shit them out for years. For now, Barbie Ferreira may be an up and coming model in the curve modeling sect, but perhaps in time, she will become a household name as one of the ones who paved the way for models of all shapes and sizes to come.