The Chenese Lewis Show

Shavonne Dorsey is an accomplished fashion designer and the 2020 winner of The Big Find on HSN. The Big Find is a national search on HSN which finds America's top talent. After her win, she partnered with the mega retailer to meet the fashion needs of women all over the USA through her designs. Her clothing line is now sold through HSN, which reaches over 80 million homes through its on-television and on-line shopping network. Prior to her success with HSN, she was the first plus size designer to be selected for Macy’s Chicago Fashion Incubator Program in 2011, which was the catalyst to her designing career. Shavonne believes that women should be respected regardless of their size and should be celebrated through her beautiful designs.

Becky Jarvis is the owner and creator of Curvy Chic Closet, the largest plus-size consignment sales event in North America, founded in 2011. The 4-day, semi-annual event includes over 15 participating vendors and a fashion show featuring women of all ages from 14 to 60+, as well as big and tall men. Twice a year, this event attracts hundreds of women across Portland and the Pacific Northwest to purchase clothes and accessories at incredible discounts, in addition to attending the largest plus size fashion show on the west coast.  In Fall 2018, Becky Jarvis created the Curvy Closet Foundation a 501c3 (non-profit) to promote self-confidence and self-love through empowerment workshops. Ms. Jarvis was a nominee in 2017, 2018, and 2019 for Fashion Show Producer of the Year for Portland Fashion and Style Awards. The Curvy Chic Closet Spring 2022 show is scheduled from April 28th through May 1st in Hillsboro, Oregan.

Chelsea Kronengold, MA, is an internationally-recognized media spokesperson and expert on topics relating to body image, eating disorders, diet culture, media literacy, and weight stigma. She has been featured in over 50 media publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, CBS, People Magazine, and USA TODAY. 

Presently, Chelsea is the communications lead for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), tasked with creating and executing the organization's communications and brand strategy. In this role, Chelsea also advises Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and NBCUniversal on eating disorders content and resources; trust and safety policies; and tips for responsible media coverage.

NEDA just launched the inaugural Body Acceptance Week, which promotes body positivity, body neutrality, and body liberation for all, taking place November 1st  - 5th!

Melissa Mercedes is a celebrity fashion designer specializing in plus sizes, based in Los Angeles.  She has dressed celebrities such as Lavern Cox, Nina Parker and Nia Jax for events such as the People Choice Awards, Grammys, and much more. She is the winner of The Cultivate Award, an initiative from Eloquii and The Curvy Fashionista that supports indie designers of color in the plus-size fashion community. She won the opportunity to design a capsule collection with Eloquii that will be sold on the retailer’s site in 2022. Melissa Mercedes is also a 2021 Outstanding Female Designer nominee at The Virtual Full Figured Industry Awards happening Nov. 6th!

Heather McGarry is the AVP of Public Relations and Social Media for Lane Bryant and Cacique. Lane Bryant is the leading national specialty retailer for plus size women offering apparel, intimates, shoes, and accessories. Lane Bryant and Cacique operate e-commerce websites and over 600 stores throughout the United States. Heather has been with Lane Bryant for fifteen years in a succession of roles in marketing and has over 25 years of experience in apparel marketing.  As project manager for numerous Lane Bryant campaigns over the years including #ImNoAngel and #PlusIsEqual, she believes in a client focused strategy, meeting her where and when she is ready to shop. She has been active in the plus community since day one and is being honored at the Silver Fox Fashion Soiree on September 18th for her work as a woman in the fashion industry. Lane Bryant is being honored as the 2021 Retail Brand of the Year at The Virtual Full Figured Industry Awards happening Nov. 6th!

Renee Cafaro is the US Editor of plus size print magazine, SLiNK and designer at her new luxury brand RCA Public Label, serving sizes 16 - 32.  She has had a lengthy career in social justice and politics prior to her time in plus size fashion but finds both fields to be rooted in equality and advocacy. RCA Public Label is partly mission-based, not only to serve the sizes most forgotten by the industry but to aim to revitalize the economy in NYC’s Garment Center post-pandemic

Tracy Christian is the owner of TCA MGMT a Los Angeles based boutique talent agency and the founder of Sante Grace, a fashion forward luxury plus size clothing line. A veteran talent agent with more than twenty years in the industry, her past clients include Oscar winners Melissa Leo, Octavia Spencer, and Mo’Nique, as well as Emmy and Golden Globe winner Elizabeth Moss. In 2020, Tracy took everything she learned from years of working for textile manufacturers and designing her own wardrobe and poured it into Sante Grace. It is a fashion forward luxury plus size clothing line with garments ranging from Italian silks, cashmere, and transitional cottons, this means the line is also sustainable. Sante Grace is designed exclusively by women and pays workers a living wage, something that unfortunately is not the standard in the garment industry.

Nick Kaplan is the President and Co-Founder of Fashion to Figure (“FTF”), a leading plus size women’s fashion brand he co-founded with his brother in 2004.  Fashion to Figure, under Nick’s leadership, launched as a single store location and evolved to a $30 Million multi-channel private equity-backed venture which was ultimately sold to New York & Co, now RetailWinds, a publicly-traded company (Ticker: RTW). In addition to leading FTF as a key growth driver for the company, Kaplan also serves on the Executive Leadership Team of RTW and works closely with the company’s CEO and Board of Directors.  Over the lifespan of FTF, Nick has strategically led several areas of the business including design, merchandising, planning, supply chain, logistics, data analytics, store operations, and the customer experience and journey.

Actor, model, and activist Hayley Hasselhoff is known for being one of the world’s leading curve models and has made an impact within the fashion world committing to promote and celebrate inclusivity in the industry for all genders, races, shapes, and sizes. Hayley has designed for the plus size brand Elvi, which caters to sizes 14-38. She’s released two collections so far, which have been sold online, in Nordstrom, as well as international retailers Next and Navabi. Hayley began her journey into body positivity after starring in the lead role of Amber in ABC’s HUGE, and has since maintained her passion for acting, appearing in other TV shows such as WHY WOMEN KILL (CBS) and Disney’s PAIR OF KINGS. Hayley also previously appeared on Good Morning America as the Stylist Contributor, and is an avid writer, regularly contributing at Marie Claire UK as the Fashion and Wellbeing editor, alongside her Curve column. Most recently, she made history as the first curve model to appear on the cover of Playboy Germany!

Tawana Blassingame is the CEO and Founder of Queen Size Magazine, a monthly full figured fashion and lifestyle publication for both men and women founded in 2011. Under her parent company Cohesive Minds Inc, Queen Size Magazine has enjoyed ten years of success. She is also the Executive Producer of the Full Figured Industry Awards (known as the FFIAs). The FFIAs is a prestigious ceremony of awards and distinguished recognition honoring the craftsmanship and commitment to excellence across various platforms spanning the full figured industry. From models, makeup artists and designers, to bloggers, photographers, entertainers, influencers, productions and more. Through the magazine and FFIAs, Tawana and her team are continuously working to ensure that the full figured and the big and tall industry is seen, heard, respected and recognized. The Full Figured Industry Awards will be held virtually this year, November 6th!