Over 1,000 guests made their way to NYC during New York Fashion Week to attend theCURVYcon, a fashion event focused on body positivity and inclusivity.
Powered by Dia&Co, theCURVYcon is in its fourth year of celebrating fashion and style that is inclusive of all shapes and sizes. The event empowers women to love who they are and value their unique selves digging into topics like fashion inclusivity and self-love.
With celebrity appearances and keynote speakers such as Gebourey Sidibe, Venus Williams, and Total Divas Nikki Bella and Nia Jax, theCURVYcon makes the statement that fashion is for all women, no exceptions.
TheCURVYcon was created by two women who knew they wanted to make a difference in the world of fashion, but never dreamed of their influence reaching so far.
To dive a little deeper into how theCURVYcon was created and the inspiration behind the event, we interviewed the co-founders, Chastity Garner of Garner Style and Cece Olisa of Plus Size Princess.
What compelled you both to create theCURVYcon?
“A couple of things, 1. The fact that plus size women don’t have a lot of brick and mortar stores to shop in, theCURVYcon gives that in-person experience for a weekend and 2. we want to have important conversations as it pertains to body positivity and fashion inclusivity.”
Why is it significant that this event happens during New York Fashion Week?
“Plus size fashion needs to be a part of the larger fashion conversation as plus size women make up just about 70% of the population, what better time to facilitate that conversation than during New York Fashion Week.”
What has been your favorite part of participating in theCURVYcon?
“The energy in the room and women uplifting other women. At any given moment you can walk around theCURVYcon and hear women praising each other. It makes my heart warm every time I hear and see it happening.”
You are helping to create a space where all women can feel beautiful and confident. How has this journey impacted your life?
“It has really impacted how I deal with self-doubt. I feel like self-doubt has such a smaller place in my life than it did before. I have far fewer thoughts of feeling good enough or beautiful enough.”
You are living your passion and helping others in the process. What words of wisdom can you share with other women who want to make an impact and follow their dreams?
“Dream Big! If you reach for the stars and hit the clouds, you have still accomplished something great. I think the idea of theCURVYcon and for us, as influencers were so far-fetched when we started, but here we are living out our dreams and pushing towards bigger dreams.”
TheCURVYcon reminds us that changing our perspective on beauty comes from working together to promote self-love and inclusivity. The event stands as an example of what can happen when we gather with the intent of lifting each other up. The body positive movement is still just getting started, and events like this one remind us that we are not alone in this journey and that together we can make a difference.
