(DENIM) FREEDOM, FOR ALL OF US
We asked 7 women to come in and make our denim their own. Styled by them and shot by photographer Lydia Hudgens in our NYC showroom, each one manifested their idea of FASHION FREEDOM with US.
TAYLER SMITH
Occupation: Photographer
What does FASHION FREEDOM mean to you?
FASHION FREEDOM means accessibility. I've spent my most of my life not being able to actualize looks I dream of because the industry does not cater to me. Thankfully, I'm starting to see a shift in brand consciousness- recognizing that there is a huge industry of people who do not fall into straight sizing, but would like the ability to look just as fabulous as everyone else.
How do you manifest FASHION FREEDOM in your day-to-day?
I make sure to support the brands who take the time to expand their sizing and are dedicated to ensuring their fit works for bodies of many shapes and sizes. In supporting these brands, I also get to get closer and closer to actualizing my physical presentation in a way that aligns with who I am as a person. It's definitely an exciting ongoing metamorphosis for me.
OLIVIA MUENTER
Occupation: Fashion & Beauty Editor, Bustle.com
What does FASHION FREEDOM mean to you?
FASHION FREEDOM, to me, means feeling comfortable and confident to wear whatever I love — despite the setting, despite my past insecurities, despite what I've been told "not to wear." And it means everyone around me having that same opportunity, as well.
How do you manifest FASHION FREEDOM in your day-to-day?
If I wear something and feel insecure about it, instead of going to change or hiding myself, I immediately try to stop and ask myself why. Why do I think I can't wear that item? What prior insecurities am I feeling in that moment? I try to remind myself that I deserve to wear whatever it is that makes me feel the happiest. And that should be all that matters.
NAILAH ALI
Occupation: Graphic Designer
What does FASHION FREEDOM mean to you?
Fashion Freedom for me really comes down to being yourself, in whatever you choose to wear, every day. Humans are a multifaceted, ever-changing species and how we choose to express who we are through our clothes should be no one's business but ourselves. Beyond that, having the freedom to make the world a better place through my fashion choices is a form of fashion freedom to me as well. I am slowly embracing a more sustainable and ethical way of approaching fashion, how I think about it and how I buy. Doing so is really freeing.
How do you manifest FASHION FREEDOM in your day-to-day?
Primarily by practicing going about my day-to-day being myself, unapologetically. I'm a big believer in leading by example, and that's what I strive to do.
USHSHI RAHMAN
Occupation: Writer and Creative
What does FASHION FREEDOM mean to you?
I remember staying up late nights in Bangladesh as a ten year old to gawk at the livestreams of Paris and New York Fashion Week on FTV. Amidst the admiration and the love of art and artifice I also remember this feeling acutely: I wish this were for me. As a fat kid with limited options for even the most foundational garments, to drape yourself in anything you desire, to choose creative expression, prize luxury, or even be validated by an industry that essentially says you are not worthy enough for us to cater to you - all of this seemed well beyond reach. Through my teens and young adult years I found freedom in subverting those expectations, thrifting to ignore cost barriers, wearing silhouettes and showing skin that a larger body is conditioned to hide and in general being a resourceful ninja to attempt to own my own visage and expression. Ultimately, that’s what that FASHION FREEDOM meant to me: autonomy, empowerment and an outlet for my creativity. In the years since, options have doubled, but I’ve never stopped raising my voice at the industry to humanize us by allowing us to have that same fashion democracy and access, to always demand that everyone deserves to live and dress on their terms, not from a place of scarcity.
How do you manifest FASHION FREEDOM in your day-to-day?
Pardon my brevity, but I manifest my fashion freedom by giving zero fucks - about what I am expected to wear, the judgment that comes with it, the limitations brands and industries insist are set in stone. Sometimes, as a marginalized person (a brown immigrant fat woman), what is most freeing is to live as though I exist in a future where those barriers don’t exist, and to force the world to acquiesce to what I know I deserve.
MARCY CRUZ
Occupation: Freelance Writer, Fit Model, and Public Speaker
What does FASHION FREEDOM mean to you?
FASHION FREEDOM means being able to dress how I want and wear what I want despite my size, which has been a challenge for me. However, I don't let those limitations stop me. I seek out brands that carry my size and also offer amazing fit and quality clothing. I also create my own pieces. I believe my style is a way to express myself and it's a very radical way of thinking because as a plus size woman, when I step out the door, I am immediately being an activist by choosing to exist in a world that judges me on what I wear, the number on the scale and on the size tag. I choose to walk out the door and live authentically, wearing what I want to wear. But that feeling of freedom is so powerful; powerful enough for me to step out that door without fear of what I will encounter on the other side of it.
How do you manifest FASHION FREEDOM in your day-to-day?
I simply wear what I want and go out into the world apologetically. Life is short, so wear what you want. That's the motto I live by daily. I also use my platform to speak about fashion for everyone and push the message that we are all worthy of expressing ourselves via our style and having access to clothing in our size.
