Heavy on Fashion talks to FullFigurePlus.com
Hello Glen Thank you so much for agreeing to the
interview. What made you get into the plus size fashion industry?
What would you change about the fashion and beauty industry as a whole?
GLJ: My reasons are pretty boring to be
honest. I was out of work at the
time and using my computer to help my wife look for lingerie and clothing. I
decided after reading an article on blogging to start a blog specifically for
plus sizes. I started off writing
about fashion and lingerie on two separate blogs then after 3 years I combined
the two into one and pressed on.
Initially, I tried to incorporate big and tall men's fashion into what I
do but I found men don't come online to shop, we just replace.
I would eliminate the size tags
from clothes. The numbers are
meant for companies to catalog their clothes but the numbers inside clothes
have become a crutch for millions of women around the world as well as
ammunition for critics. The tags would be replaced with a system that relies on
measurements to ensure a perfect fit every time.
Additionally, what I would change
about the beauty and fashion industry as a whole is the false aspirational
images and words of emaciated women which are the cause of the size
discrimination issues in the plus community. By getting rid of that thick layer
of discrimination there would be more reality in terms of sizes on the runway
and magazines.
What are your top 5 store for plus size women today?
GLJ: IGIGI, Hips and Curves, Monif C, City Chic, Torrid
How did Full Figure Plus come to be? What makes Full
Figure Plus different from all of the other plus size fashion websites/blogs
online?
GLJ: As I stated before FFP came to
life as a result of helping my wife to find affordable bras and clothes on the
Internet. It initially was only
shopping links but with all of the changes in the industry it has evolved to
include articles on size acceptance and discrimination, health and fitness,
plus modeling, small business features, and a lot more. As a result of writing
about so many different topics I have been able to build a business brand that
is recognizable across the plus industry.
The first thing that sets FFP
apart is the most obvious one. I
am a man writing mainly about women's fashion. Because I am not a woman and have no desire to wear women's
clothes I look at plus fashion from a different, or male, point of view. I bring that to my writing which goes
straight to what I think will look good on the plus size silhouette instead of
what is the flavor of the moment in the fashion industry. Another aspect that
sets me apart from others is the amount of time I have been online. I started off in 2004 and have been
blessed enough to work exclusively on FFP though I have other projects in the
works.
Tell us about the plus size beauty hall of fame
on fullfigureplus.com? How can any plus size diva
be a member of the plus size beauty hall of fame?
GLJ: The "Plus Size Beauty of the
Week" started off back in 2008 with a video tribute set to Mika's
"Big girl You are beautiful".
The original video can be viewed on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUVEm-J9l-w. The hall of fame came about from the
literally hundreds of photos I have received over the years and how I wanted to
continue celebrating plus size beauty from literally around the world. With the
popularity of Pinterest it was the perfect way to showcase beautiful plus size
women from all walks of life.
Any lady who has ever submitted a
photo to become the PSBOTW is eligible.
The only photos I reject are blatantly graphic nudes, headshots, and
grainy cell phone pictures. To
submit a photo all ladies have to do is submit their photos to beautyoftheweek@fullfigureplus.com.
Any upcoming events for FullFigureplus.com?
GLJ: I just got back from the 2012
edition of Full Figured Fashion Week™ and plan to attend a few events before
the end of the year. One event
that I would like to pull off for FFP is to partner with a brand or blogger to
bring a different voice to the readers to be able to keep the
momentum in the
future.
Finally, What type of impact are you hoping to
make in the fashion industry? In the World?
GLJ: That’s a hard one but when I
really give it thought I want plus size to get the same chance that straight
sizes get in the industry. I am
thankful the voice of the plus size blog world has been a big part of pushing
the agenda out to the world despite the critics but there is a lot more work to
be done. Additionally, I would
like for all those who read FFP to see it as my way of serving the plus size
community regardless as to the location.
Overall, I would like the fashion
industry to view my work as a mission to help the plus size women not only feel
better about herself but to look good every time she steps out of the house.
I had a lot of fun going down memory lane of my journey into
the world of plus size fashion via FFP. Thank you for this opportunity to share
my story with you and your readers.
I would like to thank Mr. Glen L Johnson for the Interview.
Check out Full Figure Plus at:
FullFigurePlus Website: http://fullfigureplus.com
Twitter - http://twitter.com/FullFigurePlus
Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/in/fullfigureplus
Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/glenljohnson/
thanks for allowing me the chance to rant. I enjoyed it and hope it gives people a look into what makes me tick.
ReplyDeleteNo problem! I love exposing my readers to new and interesting people in fashion. I am happy you enjoyed the interview!
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