When plus-size fashion blogger Gabi Gregg posted a picture of herself in a bikini on Instagram with the hashtag #Fatkini, she had no idea she was helping kickstart a movement. The Detroit native’s post encouraged women of all sizes to show off their curves in fashionable swimsuits.
Under the name GabiFresh, Gregg collaborated with Swimsuits For All to develop a line of swimwear that proves you don’t need to be a size four to slay.
The best part about her designs? Rather than making women feel like they should hide their curves, Gregg’s swimsuits are designed to accent them. She isn’t interested in designs that simply cover women up. “It’s more so about having fun, expressing yourself, and wearing bright colors, cool cutouts, adding hardware and different details,” she told Fusion.
In addition to designing swimsuits, Gregg has become a vocal advocate for body positivity in fashion.
“We [plus-size fashion bloggers] have the influence to literally change the industry and that has been amazing, to push retailers and designers forward not only in terms of their thoughts about plus-size women, but how they are designing and making things for us.”
Gregg has been inspired watching the fashion industry become more inclusive of different bodies. When she first started blogging only a handful of stores carried clothing for her body type and even fewer carried the kinds of fashionable styles she craved.
“To see so many mainstream retailers adding extended sizes and plus sizes has been amazing,” she said. “I mean, we still have a long way to go, but the fact that I now can log onto ASOS, or Eloquii, or Forever 21 Plus and find things that I like is so different from the way it used to be.”
Last year, Gregg took her curves to the cover of Ebony alongside Jazmine Sullivan, Chrisette Michele, and Orange is the New Black’s Danielle Brooks.
If you need your daily dosage of slayage, follow GabiFresh on Instagram.
