I wanted to build
a place where women
felt empowered.
S
H
I ponder,
then I mourn.
intellectual in me was thrilled to
witness evolution right before my eyes.
But, then there was this other part--
this, the less evolved and empowered
part that was just pissed off. I thought,
Are they trying to copy me?
ere I was, a lady on a
mission. A mission that I
anyone.
could barely get anyone to
believe in, yet I was being
mimicked -- how absolutely bizarre
For years, and slightly annoying. Granted, I
fashion magazines and the industry
didn’t spend too much time being
sell to women by convincing them that annoyed. Instead, I just brushed it
they aren’t good enough, convincing
off and kept pushing forward. Yes,
women to buy XYZ product for a
I was slightly annoyed, but I also
chance to be better, prettier, even
knew that NO ONE can ‘do me’ like
sexier. I wasn’t interested in that. I
I can because when it’s all said and
also had no interest in creating a
done, they aren’t ME. They could
picture book of products. I wanted
copy an article title or jump on the
people to read the magazine and feel
‘positivity’ bandwagon, but they can’t
enlightened, inspired or just plain
replicate my complete vision because
happy. Envisioning a world where
my vision belongs to me. It lives
all women could be accepted and
and resides inside of me. Therefore,
embraced, I came up with the slogan, it is impossible to truly replicate it,
‘United Under Fashion.’ Fashion being as I would never be able to replicate
the common thread that ties us all
them. I know there are some that will
together -- regardless of size, shape or say that imitation is the highest form
ethnicity.
of flattery but is it?! Or, is imitation
everal months before releasing
simply just ‘imitation?’
the first issue, I began promoting
the brand on social media. And
then, it happened. I noticed instant
copy-cats. People who were targeting
only the plus-size market were
suddenly ‘inclusive.’ The girl-power
However, I knew that I wasn’t just
creating another magazine. My goal
wasn’t to double-down on the skewed
fashion standards of the traditional
industry, nor was my intention to join
the members-only club of the plus-size
community. I didn’t want to exclude