I'm Working On It



Ashanti wears SK WiLBUR @ FFF Week 2010 



Next week is Full-Figured Fashion Week.  Jam packed with seminars, panel discussions, and fashion initiatives designed to empower the curvy community, the festivities begin on Thursday and end on Saturday.  This will be the second year attending with my sister, Ashanti, who is also my company's Communications Director.  We have tickets for opening night where we will be sailing around New York City on a sunset cruise for an all white party.  Nice!  I am not sure what I will be wearing, but I have created a special look for my sister that I am sure will knock the socks off the crowd of curvy fashionistas.

Full-Figured Fashion Week is a huge opportunity for me to network with women who have come from near and far who may not be familiar with my fabulous design aesthetic.  After all, not all the action is happening on the catwalk.  I am really looking forward to getting acquainted with many of the ladies who come with high spirits and wide smiles ready to be encouraged and validated.  Although I will not be able to attend the finale runway event on Saturday evening, Ashanti will be there decked out in SK WiLBUR, of course, to represent.  She has strict orders to mingle and network as much as possible.  Once the ladies see her ensemble, I am sure they will have plenty of questions.  We did a preliminary fitting last night and all I can say is that she will look FIERCE.  I still cannot divulge any photos, but the day of reckoning is soon upon us.  Just wait. . .

Peace & Fashion!

What's Next?

I am rejuvenated and focused - again.  And I am ready to conquer the fashion world with my sophisticated line of fashion for the curvy woman.  Every season I say that it is my best collection to date.  So I am not going to say that this time.  But what I will say is that I am convinced that I am on the right track.

I am reaching out to goddesses, both near and far, who will be descending on New York City for Full-Figured Fashion Week this June to see if they may be interested in a Wilbur original confection to wear.  The event will be jam-packed with runway shows and seminars and discussions designed to empower the fuller woman.  I'm just excited to be a part of the love fest.  It's not about snubbing the slimmer woman, but it is about uplifting the voluptuous woman who has been marginalized for too long.  My sister, Ashanti, and I will be front and center ready to make new friends and connect with new business contacts.  And I'll be sharing all the great news right here. But that is almost two months away.  Right now, I've got to get busy and make sure my ladies are well-turned out.

Peace & Fashion! 

I Don't Fit Into Your Box

It's business as usual as I plug on with my plan for fashion world domination.  With love and respect to all the big girls, my focus is to elegantly demonstrate that beauty is not about a size.  Because I have seen ugly in a size 2.  But I've also seen it all the way up to a 22.  Really.  Wilbur is more about tapping into the sexier, more confident, more fabulous side of the size 14 or higher set.  Since I've been casting for the photo shoot and our big event in September, I've met a dozen or so models who do not fit into society's narrow definition of beauty.  And these women have been gorgeous on the inside and out.  I know I've heard people, especially women, on more than one occasion say, "Oh, she has such a pretty face. . ."  And I am just sitting there waiting for them to finish the sentence with ". . .but her body is a HOT mess."  I am not condemning anyone because I may have shared the same thought at times myself.  But it's time for us to change our perception.  The model industry has celebrated all kinds of quirky and gawky looking women and elevated their flaws to celebrity status.  Remember Lauren Hutton's famous gap-toothed smile or the odd looking Penelope Tree.  Why haven't they pushed for a beauty who is the same size as the average woman?  Sure there is Emme, but how about all the other curvy cuties who exist?  And it seems like the extremely thin ones are being manufactured conveyor belt style at some plant on Venus.

My sister recently gave me a book to read called Such A Pretty Fat. It's a hilarious look at a big girl's battle with the bulge.  In the end, the heroine doesn't downsize to skinny girl status, ala Jennifer Hudson, but she becomes a healthier, more fit big girl.  Although the focus is dieting, anyone who has ever struggled to reach a goal can identify with the story.  And I think it just challenges us to see the humanity in everybody.  And that's something I can get behind.  My sister, Ashanti, had the opportunity to meet the author, Jen Lancaster, when she was in New York promoting her latest published tale and she told me that she is just as animated and entertaining in person.  Someone who is talented and has the ability to make me laugh who is also quite pretty sounds like the complete package to me.  So now, Jen Lancaster has become my girl crush.

I've gotta go, but I will be back soon.  And if you pick up Jen Lancaster's book, holla back and let me know what you think.  I guarantee it will have you in stitches.

Peace & Fashion!

The Fitting

I love creating fashion for women. Whether she's a size 2 or 22, every woman wants to feel beautiful. And I delight in the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when I am the one responsible for helping her feel that way. This past Tuesday, Ashanti, my Communications Director who also happens to be my sister who just happens to be a curvy cutie had her final fitting for the dress she will be wearing to the opening runway event of Full-Figured Fashion Week on June 16. I persuaded her to pose before removing the dress for its final edits. My seamstress, Victoria, will be completing it and dropping it off to me this Friday. It may be a little difficult to discern, but it is made out of cotton shirting fabric that has a little stretch in it. The rich color is a cross between rust and burgundy with gold stripes woven throughout. It wasn't an obvious choice of color, but one that is complimentary to Ashanti's warm brown complexion.

By now, you know that I am making moves and trying to create a name for myself in the plus-size industry. It's almost non-stop networking and introductions. And I am always down for meeting new people, especially those who are friendly and living their lives with purpose. I think I am most excited about the possibilities that this new adventure can bring. Fresh ideas and different personalities will challenge me and help me to grow as an artist. I am already encouraged by the number of people who have been receptive to my design direction. Truth be told, obstacles were always hindering my progress when I created collections for the under size 14 market. I was not being embraced by retailers, stylists, or celebrities. I felt like I was running in place. My decision to switch gears did not come lightly. But I think it was the right decision for me. The spark is back and maybe now I will make some money, too. I only have 1 year to prove myself and make it happen. And this time, I think it will.

Peace & Fashion!