Curvy fashionista Marie Denee has a mission – to bring contemporary, sophisticated, edgy fashions to plus size women. This remarkalbe Oakland resident is doing just that with her full-figure focused blog, The Curvy Fashionista, and her online plus size boutique.
In 2008 Ms. Denee finished up her MBA and realized she had gathered a lot of specific information about plus size retail. “For my MBA research I focused on the plus size industry,” explains the perky Ms. Denee. “When I finished my degree I realized I have all this valuable information that I need to share.” She began blogging and quickly became a top resource for the plus size community. Denee celebrated her blog's first anniversary this past Tuesday.
While working in high end retail for 11 years, Ms. Denee saw first hand that quality fashionable options for plus size women were limited. “Women would ask me why there aren’t fashionable clothes in their size,” she says. Working retail she learned which designers were plus-size friendly and began making contacts as a blogger. In the About Me section of her website, she says, "I set out to share with all the Curvy.Confident.Chic. Fashionistas that we CAN don the latest and greatest of trends, fashions and styles that are made with US in mind!"
After losing her retail job earlier this year, Ms. Denee decided the time was right for her to, “Step out on faith and do my own thing.” On September 30, 2009 she launched - marie.denee.com - a unique online boutique offering quality designer fashions and accessories for women beyond a size 12. “As a curvy woman myself, I want the same level of quality you see in high end stores to come in my size,” says Ms. Denee.
In addition to running her new on line business, Ms. Denee keeps up with her popular blog and writes a plus size column for Examiner.com. She is also very busy in the plus size community attending events and lending a helping hand wherever needed.
Currently she's the stylist for a bay area plus size fashion show called Kiss the Curves, scheduled for February, and she’ll be participating as a blogger in Full Figured Fashion Week, coming up next June in New York.
Check out Ms. Denee’s on line boutique: www.mariedenee.com (20% off for the holidays!)
Moya Stone got the skinny on plus-sized fashion at SFBayStyle
