Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Coming-of-Age / Body Positivity. Matilda, a young aspiring model, lands her first big photoshoot at Bondi Beach, wearing a tiny bikini. With sun-kissed skin, perfect hair, and a naturally stunning figure, she seems flawless. However, behind the camera, the director and photographer suggest she "tone up" and shrink further-advising that the modelling world favors smaller sizes to attract a male audience and open doors to more lucrative, semi-nude, or lingerie campaigns.
Excited yet insecure, Matilda takes the advice to heart. What begins as calorie counting and minimal meals quickly spirals into bulimia and obsessive body control. Her body becomes what the industry wants: toned, tiny, and seemingly perfect, but the cost is her health and identity.
During this dark descent, Matilda meets two pivotal figures:
Elena, an emerging fashion designer who celebrates real, unedited, curvy, and diverse bodies. Elena becomes the spark of hope, teaching Matilda to reclaim her worth and body confidence.
Jackson, a male model facing similar pressures to bulk up unnaturally and use steroids. He, too, is lost in the toxic expectations of the fashion industry.
Together, they support each other in rediscovering self-love and rejecting destructive norms. Matilda gradually regains her health, confidence, and voice, turning down jobs that demand unrealistic body standards. Eventually, she and Jackson become the lead models for Elena's new body-positive couples swimwear line-modest, elegant, and empowering.
The story closes with them posing for the campaign, fully in their own skin, proud and radiant. Their final embrace and kiss mark not only their personal victories but also a hopeful future for more inclusive fashion campaigns-her next project named "M&J" for Matilda and Jackson.
