Who is Gwen DeVoe?

Her bio says that she is a former plus model who now specializes in plus model training, development and management.  She has been a long time advocate and supporter of increasing the visibility of fuller figures on fashion runways.  She is also the CEO of DeVoe Signature Events™ and the creator of Full Figured Fashion Week™, which returns to New York City from June 16 -19, 2010.  She graciously took a minute out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for me about Full Figured Fashion Week™ as well as the many other projects she has under the DSE umbrella.

Q:  Can we go back in time for a moment?  Tell us how you got your start in the full figured fashion industry. 

A:  I started out in the full figured fashion industry as a freelance plus model, working for various designers who had full figured collections.

Q:  Were there a lot of opportunities for plus sized models back then?

A:  No, there weren't a lot of "legitimate" opportunities when I was modeling.  In fact, most of the time, when my colleagues and I arrived to participate in shows, we were mistaken for "the entertainment".

Q:  Do you remember the name of the very first plus sized model you ever booked?

A:  I absolutely remember.... Her name was Janine Garnett.

Q:  What made you choose her?

A:  Actually, when I started producing fashion shows, it was for Diva's Encore Models, a group of straight-sized models that worked for me.  I used a plus model here and there, but they were, for the most part, untrained (back then I wasn't providing training).  I knew that I needed a plus model with the "wow" factor and so the search began.  I started approaching women in clothing stores, Duane Reade Drug Stores, etc., looking for the right person. And then, I met you.... the rest is history.

Q:  Tell me about the time you spent as a plus sized model, and what was the most important lesson you learned?

A:  The most important lesson that I learned during my days as a plus sized model was to always be prepared.  Fashion show producers/organizers didn't really take plus modeling or plus models seriously.  Consequently, we were usually given a lot of unattractive clothes or we had to bring our own.  There were very few designers who took the time to actually make nice clothing for us to wear in shows.  They saved the showcase garments for the straight sized models.  We were frequently given a nice top and told to "bring a black bottom"...that kind of thing.

Q:  Just so that we are all clear, what is Full Figured Fashion Week™ exactly?

A:  My vision for Full Figured Fashion Week™ is to provide opportunities for lesser-known designers to showcase their collections in a professional show that will rival other fashion week events.  On the consumer side, I want to be able to let plus size consumers know in addition to where they regularly shop, there are other clothing options available, despite what they are being told.