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But here’s the thing: It wasn’t atFashion Week.
A consumer enjoying the activations and shopping at CurvyCon.
Sometimes they’ll snap a photo or write down notes.
If it sounds super stuffy, thats because it can be.
Now, let me tell you about thisDia & Coshow featuring designs by Rachel Roy and actress Rebel Wilson.
Model Precious Lee walking on the Dia & Co. runway at CurvyCon.
It was full of loud shouts and cheers from women who couldnt wait to wear the clothes on display.
There were more consumers present than editors, erasing that sense of exclusivitywhich made it unique and fucking awesome.
The timing was not a coincidence.
A view of the Eloquii shop on the CurvyCon floor.
Fashion happens during Fashion Week, co-founder Garner Valentine tells SELF.
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The mood is very different than the mainstream Fashion Week events.
Its part family reunion, part clothing bazaar, all love.
Im so excited to be with my fellow curvy ladies, she tells SELF.
I think of these women as my peers and my friends.
I think this energy is infectious.
When Olisa and Garner Valentine set out to plan this years CurvyCon, it wasnt just about the clothes.
There was also the desire to kickstart a conversation.
This year the lineup included events focused on topics besides fashion like a workout class and a business-focused panel.
We personally feel that in some ways the retailer is the gatekeeper to plus-size fashion moving forward.
After attending the CurvyCon, I can say that events like this are what the fashion industry needs.
A place where women whove been excluded for so long can take ownership of their right to fashion.
A place where designers and brands can visualize the$20 billion market opportunitythat they’re missing.
A place where a woman with curves can strut down the runway and feel like she belongs.
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