PLUS MODEL MAGAZINE November 2015 Indie Designer Issue | Page 120

I have been dealing with people like that all my life; people have doubted me because of what I look
like. I had to realize that I can’t please everyone and it was their personal reasons why they behaved
that way. I felt like at that moment I was alone in the competition. Thank God I had Laurie to have
my back. People used the excuse that I won two competitions but this was about who they liked and
popularity. I don’t think that is the way you should play a competition because at the end of the day we
are all competing for the same thing.

As a plus size designer would you consider designing for both straight and plus or will
you stay a plus size designer?

I think I’m going to continue to be a plus size designer because I think there is already enough straight
size designers in the industry. I don’t need to be one of them. I want to create something that needs to
be in THIS industry. I wanted to be on Project Runway to show the viewers another side of plus size
fashion and have our voices be heard. We need to be up there with the straight sizes to be equal.

What are the top 3 experiences you will take from being on the show?

- Belief in myself and how much I have grown.
- Before the show I did not have thick skin, and now I do.
- The entire experience has changed me and I feel like I can take it and grow from it.

What is your advice to up and coming designers?

Do what you feel is right in your heart and take risks. Also, it’s okay to be scared. You will not always
know what is going to happen in life but if you take risks you will grow and see what opportunities can
come out of it.