Gwendolyn DeVoe is a former plus model who now specializes in plus model training, development and management. Gwen has been a longtime advocate and supporter of increasing the visibility of fuller figures on fashion runways.
In 1998 she successfully opened The Plus Academy, one of New York's first training programs exclusively for aspiring plus models. She is also the creator of Full Figured & Fabulous™, the largest plus model runway competition on the East Coast.
Always willing to share the gift of empowerment with other women of size, Gwen is a highly sought-after motivational speaker on the topics of body image, plus modeling and fashion consultation for plus size women and teens. Her television credits include the nationally syndicated Ricki Lake Show, Fox 5's Good Day New York morning show, Insider's Edition and New York 1 News.
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
A few years ago I attended a designer showcase during standard Fashion Week. Although could see myself in some of the styles I saw on the runway, many were not available to me because they did not come in my size. I decided these designers were missing out on a huge market by not including plus sizes in their collections. At that moment, I was inspired to produce Full Figured Fashion Week, and the rest is history!
My mom always said I was a good leader as a child. I lead my church's youth choir, and founded and managed several social clubs in high school. I am grateful for these leadership experiences in my younger years that have played a huge role in shaping the leader I am today.
How has your previous employment experience aided your position at Full Figured Fashion Week?
I have always been employed in administrative support positions, assisting high powered executives with the execution of daily business functions. During my tenure at these positions, I was often given additional responsibilities outside of what I was actually hired to do. This afforded me an opportunity to experience various levels of business management and ultimately provided the much needed framework and expertise that I now use to produce Fit for Me Full Figured Fashion Week.
