Plus-size trailblazer Katie Monster is not your average London fashion influencer
- Frida Kahlo-esque Katie Ruensumran, better known as Katie Monster on Instagram, is a street style sensation in London thanks to her bold fashion choices
- Her funny Instagram posts are helping build a brand that’s bucking the ‘picture perfect’ influencer trend
There’s no mistaking Katie Ruensumran when she walks into the cafe of Ace Hotel London. Even in Shoreditch – home of the hipster – she stands out as a Frida Kahlo-esque figure, with her scarlet floral headband and billowing white dress. But unlike Khalo, Ruensumran is all smiles and hugs.
Better known as Katie Monster on Instagram (@katieismonster), Ruensumran has become something of a street style sensation since being snapped by Vogue at London Fashion Week two years ago.
Nowadays, her signature bow and flamboyant outfits can be seen doing the rounds in fashion publications where she’s hailed as a plus-size icon. Yet, as her “monster” nickname suggests, she’s not your standard influencer serving up looks of curated perfection on her feed.
“I don't have a lot of followers,” says Ruensumran of her modest 16,200 fans on Instagram, “because what I post is not the thing that lots of people want to see. They want to see beautiful clothes, beautiful restaurants, a perfect lifestyle, business class … I’m not into those kinds of things. I like something a bit more real. Of course, it’s not like I post about going to the toilet, [but] I like to post something funny.”
Born in London, Ruensumran was five when her parents moved the family to Bangkok. She grew up in Thailand, before returning to London to study womenswear at Central Saint Martins.
