Taking A Minute For Me

After this weekend, it's time for me to take a moment to recharge.  So I am hightailin' it to Maryland for a few days to hang with my boyfriend's daughter and her family.  But before I go, I am gonna fill you in on all the happenings in my world.  As you know, last week my Communications Director released a teaser for our upcoming September launch titled "Have You Heard About Wilbur?".  Using Diana Ross's classic I'm Coming Out as background music, we received some positive responses from many of you.  But we need all of you to get as excited as we are about this new venture and just start "biggin' us up", as they say in the 'hood, to all your friends.  I'm sure we each have a friend who happens to be a full-figured woman who we know can certainly benefit from wearing one of my fab dresses.  So tell her about me.

On Friday, Ashanti and I attended the opening night Meet & Greet of the Young, Fat, & Fabulous Bloggers Conference at Re/Dress boutique in Brooklyn where we met the faces behind some of the most influential blogs having to do with body confidence and fashion & beauty for the curvy fashionista. Alli McG, the supermodel, accompanied us wearing the premier look from the upcoming spring 2011 collection.  We were received with warmth and adulation by all the attendees who remarked that the dress I had conceived was awesome.   If we can continue this kind of momentum with retailers, then, who knows, I may be able to finally quit my job at the plantation.

On Saturday, I started my day as a guest on a radio program on blogtalkradio.com.  My friend, Marcia, made an introduction to Muriella whose show Muriella's Corner is about changing the narrative.  And she thought it was important to have me as a guest since my mission is to remove the stigma of ugly plus size clothing by creating wearable, classic, and modern dresses for the full-figured woman.  If you missed it, you can still catch it if you click on Changing the Narrartive.  Immediately following the broadcast, my team began to arrive for a photo shoot for the follow-up to the "Have You Heard About Wilbur?" video teaser with my sister-in-law driving up from Maryland to do the behind-the-camera honors. It was an awesome experience with all the ladies involved looking magazine cover ready.  My new make-up artist, Lakia McCoy, is beyond talented and really worked the ladies faces as if she was completing works of art. And she was.  Once the images have been selected they will be released for all of you to become witnesses to the magic of fashion.

On Sunday, Ashanti, Alli McG, and I were once again in the throes of another fashion happening as our friend Dhylles launched her new venture called Katwalk Katerers.  At a chic little spot down on the lower east side in Manhattan, we watched as she presented an informal runway presentation (with Alli McG donning my dress for the 3rd day in a row) and announced that she would be more democratic with her approach to fashion by including models no matter what their size or height in her cavalcade of  upcoming events.  I think this will be empowering for all those men and women who feel that they've been ignored by mainstream agencies.  I wish her much success and prosperity.

So now you know why my tank is on E.  And I am happy to get away.  I'll be back in a few days, but until then let's keep on movin' up to a place of fulfillment and enlightenment.

Peace & Fashion!

Lean On Me

As I recovered from the excitement of Full-Figured Fashion Week which ended on Sunday, I had to reacclimate myself with my work groove.  And then I began to hit panic mode.  I awakened to the reality that time is quickly flying by and we still have not yet secured a corporate sponsor whose generous donation will fund our September launch.  I have survived panic mode in the past - BARELY.  It's really not attractive because it usually leads to desperation.  And desperation is the ultimate fashion faux pas of which I have been guilty of on more than one occasion.  I thought it prudent to seek the counsel of  a couple of acquaintances who are industry movers & shakers to see if they could possibly direct me to potential resources who might be able to assist with my company's financial shortage.  Yet, after sending them beseeching online messages, all I've gotten in return is the sound of crickets.  You know, when all you get is silence - save for the crickets whose melody informs you that your voice may have fallen on deaf ears.  It's just a little observation I picked up from my early days of watching Daffy Duck get no love on those Bugs Bunny cartoons.  Earlier this week I expressed my concern to my sister, Ashanti who is the company's Communications Director.  She confided that she'd also worried about our window of opportunity slowly shutting.  And today when we received news from one of our prospective corporate partners that their plans, which do not include Sorta Kinda Enterprises, are already pretty much set for the rest of the year, it was somewhat of a let down.  My sister, who is my partner, friend, and confidant then said something that silenced the voice of panic that had been rising up inside my head.  To paraphrase, she told me that we are going to be a success with this line of tailored dresses for the plus size woman.  The embrace from the plus size community supports it.  So success is already a given.  Our timeline may have to be adjusted, but we are going to move forward as best we can with the resources that are available to us so that we are prepared when the time comes.  I am not sure where my baby sister came from with all that knowledge, but she reminded me to continue to believe in the dream so that we can make it a reality.  There is surely power in words.  And Ashanti has spoken.

Peace & Fashion!