Nina Parker is the first Black woman to launch an exclusive plus-size clothing line at a major retailer. Her collection sold out quickly, revealing the spending power of plus-size women long ignored by mainstream fashion. She discusses overcoming fat-shaming and racist trolls to build a brand that empowers women to love themselves.
Chapters
How does it feel to be the first ever Black woman to launch a plus-size clothing line, the Nina Parker Collection? How does that feel?
You know, I have to say, it's so odd when we're still getting firsts as Black people, right? Because it's a lot of firsts that we're dealing with.
Listen, I say that all the time. People are like, you're the first gay Black man I ever talked to. I said, it's 2023, really?
Right, right.
I said, what?
Yeah, yes. And it's an amazing blessing. And I will say, there have been other plus creators, but I have created the first exclusive line at a major retailer. And so it's been wonderful because you never know what the response is going to be. And the response has just been insane. It's been, you know, selling out and people are buying in droves. And it's because really it's just people just didn't think that plus women wanted just regular cute fashionable items. And I don't know if you know the plus women, they spend money, they spend a coin.
They spend a coin, yes. Yes, they spend a coin, yes.
Yes, they just need a place for their coin to live.
I call you when I'm done working and you know what this means to me, this show, and how much I care about people. And I have so many women that come on this show that have been disrespected by men in their lives, have been disrespected by their mothers, who have been disrespected by friends because of their weight. And what I have loved is that you have always empowered women to love themselves every single time. But I wanna know, how did you get, I know how, but how did you get to that place to love your body?
You know, I think you go through ebbs and flows. I think some of it comes with maturity. Yeah. Some of it comes from awful, horrible circumstances. And some people lose themselves to it. And when I first started TV, you know, I was young, I was plus size, I didn't have, you know, a ton of money. So I was styling myself. And you know, one thing Black people gonna tell you is if you look crazy.
Okay, okay.
And so, you know, people would tweet and be like, you know, you need to do your hair, you need to do this. And, but then what would come later is, the racist trolls, the fat shaming trolls. And to me, I was like, I'm talking about content and I'm not only representing myself, but I'm representing a culture of people. And that should be way, way more than what I look like. And I found that people were so vapid and they were focusing on what I look like and not what I was saying. But that also made me realize, you know, you taking time outta your day to talk to me, that let me know I had some power.
Yes.
And what I will tell people is, I exist in your world, you don't exist in mine. Mm.
Mm.
And that's by choice. Yes. We choose what exists in our world.
Mm-hmm. So when were you able to get to that place where you said, I'm gonna embrace my body? I know you said everything before.
I fought the air a lot.
You fought the air?
You know, I cried. I have a really good, family and a tribe that I can vent to and speak to. I'm human just like everybody else. But I will say, I take note of people who care about me and their opinions and their concern. But someone who is nowhere near anywhere I wanna be, it doesn't matter to me.
Amen.
I've stopped letting other people's opinions affect me because you'll be responding to people all day.
Hold on, where you going? I'll tell you where you're going. Right here to subscribe and right here to watch more.
