Welcome back to the BodPod! Today, we are thrilled to be chatting with The Power of Plus’s cofounders Gianluca Russo and Shammara Lawrence! The Power of Plus is a size inclusive community centred on open and honest conversations around body positivity self-love, fat politics, and size inclusivity in fashion, beauty, and beyond. Diversity and inclusion are the core principles of the platform which promotes respect, love, and style for every body.
Gianluca Russo is the CEO and cofounder of The Power of Plus as well as a fashion and culture writer who specializes in body diversity. His work has appeared in GQ, Glamour, InStyle, Teen Vogue and more and his debut book, The Power of Plus, will be released in the summer of 2022. Shammara Lawrence is also the cofounder of The Power of Plus and is a New York-based multimedia writer who specializes in beauty, plus-sized fashion, body positivity, and social justice. Her words have been published in Teen Vogue, Allure, InStyle, and more.
In this episode, Gianluca and Shammara will tell us how The Power of Plus came to be, how they launched the online platform, and how they are working to fill a void in conversations about plus-sized fashion. Besides this, we’ll dive right into the details of plus-sized fashion including the continued struggle to see plus-sized clothing being made, the myth that the plus-sized community doesn’t care about fashion, and the way in which brands don’t see the business value in creating for this community. Last but not certainly not least, we’ll discuss the racism that exists in the fashion industry. Keep listening to hear how Gianluca and Shammara are working to broach sensitive and difficult conversations when it comes to plus-sized fashion and inclusivity.
The Power of Plus’s Instagram: @thepowerofplus
Gianluca’s Instagram: @g_russo1
Shammara’s Instagram: @itsshammara
share