Over and again, being plus sized had landed her the boring conservative look, unlike how her innermost being truly feels; super sexy, confident and yes, stylish. In fact, the Nightly Pop co host last year during the Oscars and this year’s Golden Globes had to design her own outfit following the lack of appealing options out there for ladies her size, but now, she’s officially claiming the designer tag and bringing other curvy queens with her on her incredible journey of self love.
“With plus sizes, it’s like they want us to hide,” the Nightly Pop host explains of her biggest gripe. “They’re matronly, something my aunties might wear. I’m like, ‘I don’t understand why big has to mean conservative.'”
This May, Parker will be launching The Nina Parker Collection for Macy’s, which would be the department store’s first-ever plus-size line by a Black woman.
“For me, when I’m shopping, I look at women who have bodies similar to mine to know how I’m going to look,” Parker explained to E! News about conceptualizing The Nina Parker Collection, which launches in May. Opting for a plus-size fit model, she continued, “It’s important to me that our fit model had curves, a little FUPA, thick calves—those types of things women struggle with.”
Reminiscing on times she went shopping of which plus sized outfits are put at the back of the store, she says:
“sometimes you feel like you’re getting a drug deal,” she says. “It’s like, ‘Why do we have to feel like we’re being alienated because of our size?”’
“My stylist and I were trying to find stuff off of the rack and it just wasn’t comparable to my counterparts,” Nina admits. “It felt really unfair, like, ‘Yes, I am bigger than them, but does that mean I don’t matter as much because my waist is bigger?'”
Explianing her reason for venturing into the fashion world:
“I was tired of trying to make things work,” she explains to E! . “I was tired of trying to make a square a peg fit into a circle. So, I was like, ‘Let me create my own circle.'”
With 17 size inclusive pieces from size 16W to 24W ranging between $39 and $129—she hopes her collection, featuring tank tops, form-fitting dresses, denim, loud prints, fun fabrics and sequins help women feel empowered and seen. “I want them to feel like they matter, like they are a bad bitch,” she explains. “I want them to feel bossy, like they can walk in a room and everybody will take notice.”
Well done!