As brands began embracing the $17.5 billion industry that is plus-size fashion, former plus-size runway model Gwen DeVoe wanted them to have an event to display their wares.
So in 2009, DeVoe, one of our women to watch this week, started Full Figured Fashion Week.
The seventh annual event is taking place this week in the heart of Manhattan, and DeVoe — an HR professional at Scholastic Corporation by day — is bringing together more than 2,500 designers, retailers, models, fashion bloggers and small businesses who cater to the plus-size community.
Bizwomen spoke with DeVoe — minutes before she headed out to one of the week's most popular events, a cruise around Manhattan — to find out more about the event, her plans and its growing impact on the industry. Conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.
What inspired you to start Full Figured Fashion Week?
I went to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 2008. I was at a really high-end show, and as I sat there and saw the beautiful clothes on the runway, I realized I couldn’t purchase any of them. Not because I didn’t have the money but because they didn’t come in my size. I went home and all my friends wanted to talk about my experience there. I kept saying it was OK, but I didn’t see anybody who looked like me on the runway.
So what was it like the first year?
Although everybody said it was a great idea, people weren’t really clamoring at the door to give me money. So I took a couple thousand dollars from my personal account that I’d saved from two income tax returns. Retailer Ashley Stewart was my only corporate sponsor that year. It was for a weekend with one fashion show. I think we had 200 people. Now we’ve grown to two fashion shows (one for big brands and one for independent designers), 15 events throughout the week, and about 2,500 people attend.
