It would be just under a year ago that fed up full-figured women from across the nation and around the world would unite at various rest stops along the internet highway to share their stories and frustrations with the ever challenging fashion retail industry and its UNwillingness to make fashions that not only fit and flatter, but are available to ‘real life’ women in ‘real full figured’ bodies.
On June 30, 2009, a spicy, statuesque and voluptuous fashionista by the name of Gwen DeVoe, stepped off of the runway and into the self created CEO position at DeVoe Signture Events. As the founder and orchestrator of one of the most successful training, developement and management programs designed exclusively for plus sized models, Ms DeVoe dedicated her life to the empowerment of women who have all to often been ostracized and ridiculed simply for being what society deemed as ‘fat’. And with a market segment that spends well over $18 billion dollars a year in the purchasing of fashionable wears, what a shame it would be for their hard earned dollars to go to waste on less than satisfactory online ordering and boring moumou’s. It was these finding that became the motivation this entrepenuerial spirit needed to take her frustrations to the next level and launch the industries first ever Full Figured Fashion Week in NYC.
Now in its second year, the four-day event includes a runway model competition, panel discussions on the industry and, of course, designs for bodies size 12 and above. Running this year from June 16-19th, the showcase was an ensemble of sensuous body hugging designs in lycra, sporty chic casuals in various knits and prints, and flirty creations in the seasons hottest colors all geared to appeal not only to the ladies with a little extra meat on their bones, but to the men who love them! With the percentage of obese/overweight American women growing more and more each year, the need for consumers to press mainstream retailers and fashion designers into embracing larger sized women is the order of the day. What better way to encourage that then with beautiful women in awesome creations by designers ready to adorn. In the meantime, I have a feeling we will be seeing more and more fashion spreads, events and YES, fashion weeks, as more and more women begin to celebrate their own standard of beauty, and continue to defy America’s slowly changing prototype.
