I had the pleasure of hosting the Coast To Coast Curves Model Search in Los Angeles for Ashley Stewart simultaneously while PLUS Model Magazine Editor, Madeline Jones hosted the Coast To Coast Curves Model Search in New York! On both coasts ladies lined up to enter the model search, despite the weather, for a once in a lifetime chance to appear in a PLUS Model Magazine editorial!

The competition was stiff, but two ladies were chosen from each coast, and the winners were announced live on PLUS Model Radio! Model search winners Erin J Burts (LA) and Yolanda Elston (NY) appear in this month’s edition of PLUS Model Magazine, wearing the latest Ashley Stewart fashions!

Here are my two favorite looks from the shoot:

View the entire editorial in PLUS Model Magazine HERE

And check out this behind the scenes video from the photoshoots:

Congratulations ladies, you both look great!

XOXO

Curve Appeal Culture is a new on-line publication brought to you by the ladies of Project Curve Appeal! Published towards the end of every other month starting April 2011, Curve Appeal Culture Newsletter/Web Magazine is a bi-monthly publication which offers readers that include Curve Appeal Movement members, supporters and fans, valuable and exclusive information on the progress of the Movement, the FOCA (Faces of Curve Appeal) Sisterhood, the associated events, sponsors, vendors, affiliates and related industry news. Topics include but are not limited to, events, fashion, beauty, modeling, health, entertainment and real life stories. Curve Appeal Culture is free to all readers. Five digital issues and one print issue available at the Curve Appeal Sisterhood Conference every year.

To read the magazine click HERE

For more information about Curve Appeal Culture click HERE

In addition to being Curve Appeal Culture’s first cover girl Chenese is set to host Project Curve Appeal’s Sisterhood Conference in Atlanta Sep. 29 – Oct. 2nd!

The Sisterhood Conference is a weekend full of official Curve Appeal and Pink City Entertainment Events and Trainings. This event is also known as the “Curve Appeal Convention”. Only some of the events are open to the public.

The conference features:

Thursday Afternoon: Face Camp Workshops
Thursday Night: Sisterhood Meet-n-greet
Friday Morning: National Sisterhood Conference
Friday Night: Award Dinner
Saturday Afternoon: For Who I Am Showcase and Expo
Saturday Night: Rock the Runway Fashion Show
Sunday Morning: Alter Ego – Glam Day
Sunday Afternoon: National Leaders Summit

For more infomation about the Sisterhood Conference and to register click HERE

XOXO

Hello Everybody,

Tomorrow is the day for the Ashley Stewart Coast To Coast Model Search in Los Angeles and New York! Here are a few questions I’ve been asked I want to publically answer so everyone can see!

Do I have to bring anything? No, unless you are under 18, you need to bring a parent.

Do I have to be there at 4:00pm on the dot? No, come any time between 4-7pm to enter

Do I have to stay at the event the entire time? No, after you enter the model search you are free to leave, but we hope you shop and take advantage of the great sales!

What will happen when I get there? You will have to fill out an application and get your picture taken on the step and repeat (red carpet) and that’s it!

Do I have to be a certain height or size? No height requirement, size 12 and above

What do I wear? Look nice, come camera ready! Your photograph will be taken and we will be videotaping the event as well!

Can I talk to you and take a picture with you? Of course! I can’t wait to see you there!

Will you come to my city? Possibly if these two events are a success! So please repost, Facebook and tweet this to all your LA and NYC friends!!

LOS ANGELES

NEW YORK

XOXO

NOW Foundation’s Love Your Body Campaign Launches Let’s Talk About It: A Video Project for NEDAwareness Week

In support of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, taking place Feb. 20-26, 2011, the National Organization for Women Foundation’s Love Your Body campaign is encouraging women to speak up and speak out about body image — on camera. A unique video campaign, Let’s Talk About It provides a space for women and girls to talk about struggles and success with body image.

“The airbrushed body type portrayed as ideal is naturally possessed by less than five percent of women, so if anyone should feel bad about the pervasiveness of eating disorders and low self-esteem in women and girls, it’s advertisers and the media,” says NOW Foundation Education Vice President Erin Matson. “Let’s talk about why it’s so important to put an end to this madness with the most powerful tool we have: Our own stories.”

For more than a decade, NOW Foundation’s Love Your Body Campaign has been calling out the fashion, cosmetics and advertising industries for promoting unrealistic images of women. The campaign encourages women and girls to celebrate their bodies and reject the impossibly unhealthy measuring stick displayed on billboards, magazines and screens.

“NOW Foundation is partnering with the National Eating Disorders Association this week because we know that impossible ideals are strongly connected with eating disorders,” says Matson. “Having overcome anorexia myself, it’s deeply important to me that we do everything we can to stop other women and girls from having to go through what I did.”

Ford models Kate Dillon, Amy Lemons and Crystal Renn are intimately familiar with the struggles related to body image. In an industry that covets skinny and rewards thinness with multi-million dollar contracts, these trailblazers are changing the modeling industry just by being who they are.

“Women and girls spend far too much time and energy worrying about their physical appearances when they have so much more to give to the world — I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish as we overcome this unnecessary diversion,” said model Kate Dillon.

Dillon, Lemons, and Renn are lending their stories and voices to help launch the Let’s Talk About It project, along with actor Lynn Chen, editor Lisa Lee, model and Hollywood NOW President Chenese Lewis, author Nancy Redd, activist Shelby Knox and editor Sunny Gold.

“I encourage everyone to make a video and post it online,” said Matson. “Your voice might be the one that reaches a girl or woman who is struggling with her self-image. And together, the more videos we create, the more we become part of the solution.”

http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/letstalk

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Here is my video, special thanks to Michael Anthony Hermogeno, for helping me out!

To view more videos visit  http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/letstalk

XOXO

Coast-to-Coast Curves Model Search

XOXO

Media Alert

Crystal Renn, Leading Ford Plus Model and the New Face of Jimmy Choo Designs Speaks Out at Annual NEDAW Event in Southern California

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week kicks off with a candid conversation featuring noted plus-size model and author Crystal Renn

It wasn’t until Crystal Renn gained weight that her fashion career skyrocketed. She now
stands as Ford’s leading “plus-size” model and has authored an autobiography of her
descent and recovery from the eating disorder that nearly took her life.

Renn suffered from Anorexia Nervosa, a fatal psychological disorder that currently has
the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder (neda.com). Only approximately
half of those with the anorexia diagnosis achieve full recovery (Steinhausen, 2002). With
the tragic losses the world has recently experienced from this disorder, this will be a
refreshing story of courage, strength and one model’s “ultimate embrace of curves.”

What: Crystal Renn will sit down for an intimate and candid conversation with leading
eating disorder expert Carolyn Costin at the 4th annual “Evening of Jazz and Arts Under
the Stars,” hosted by the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals
(IAEDP) Southern California. The event takes places on Saturday, February 19th at the
Calamigos Ranch in Malibu from 4 – 8pm. Chenese Lewis, Plus Size Spokesperson and
President of the National Organization for Women Hollywood will emcee event. Event
includes jazz trio, art exhibits, author book signing, special guest appearance and a silent
auction.

Media Contact:
Colleen Perry, MS, MFT
310.259.8970
iaedpla.colleen@gmail.com

IAEDP Mission Statement: To promote a high level of professionalism among practitioners who treat those suffering from eating disorders by promoting ethical and professional standards, offering education and training in the field, certifying those who have met prescribed requirements, promoting public and professional awareness of eating disorders and assisting in prevention efforts.

Purchase Tickets Online At: http://www.iaedpsocal.com

2010 began with Chenese as the newly elected President of the Hollywood Chapter of the National Organization for Women (Hollywood NOW) and she participated as a panelist at the Social Justice Summit at California State University, Fullerton.

PLUS Model Radio celebrated its second anniversary and continues to be the #1 podcast for plus size women! A few of the notable guests in 2010 included MTV’s Twitter Jockey Gabi Gregg, Kim Coles, and top plus models such as Ashley Graham, Julie Henderson, Lizzie Miller, and Joanne Borgella. Leading plus size retailers broke exclusive news first on PLUS Model Radio including Lane Bryant’s participation in “Fashion Night Out” by their Director of Business Management Kathleen Quickert, and Torrid’s Marketing Representative Becky Meza announced Torrid’s first model search in Puerto Rico! Chenese took PLUS Model Radio on the road for the first time to the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans where she interviewed some of the biggest names in entertainment including Gladys Knight, Sherri Shepard, MC Lyte, Kirk Franklin and many more!

Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) announced Chenese the official spokesperson, joining the effort to increase awareness around unrealistic “body-perfect” ideals, binge eating disorder and several associated conditions, including compulsive and emotional eating, and food addiction. As BEDA’s spokesperson Chenese serves as a positive role model for the members, help to bring awareness to the organization, and help to educate the public about the disorder.

Chenese graced the covers of Daily Venus Diva Magazine who called her “a key individual in the plus community” and Gemini Magazine who referred to her as “A Positive Power House”. She broke plus industry size barriers with PLUS Model Magazine by modeling for a Valentine’s Day editorial featuring Cacique Intimates lingerie by Lane Bryant. Ms Lewis ripped the runway in a celebrity fashion show for charity, Celebrity Catwalk, which raises funds and awareness for the National Animal Rescue.

Along with Reah Norman and Marlene Hoffman, Chenese produced Curvy Network, a plus size industry networking event held in Los Angeles. This year Ms Lewis was sought out to be a celebrity host and consultant for numerous events for plus size women across the country, in cities including Hollywood, Las Vegas, Dallas, and New Orleans. She also moderated “The State of the Curvy Community” panel discussion at Full Figured Fashion Week(end)™ Los Angeles.

Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC was a recipient of the Vertical Response 500 Award for being one of the top 500 small businesses recognized for high customer engagement rates in email marketing. Chenese’s blog was recognized as one of the Top 40 Plus Size Fashion Blogs on the web in 2010 by HalloweenCostumes.net

This year marked the 5th anniversary of Hollywood NOW’s Love Your Body Day. America’s Next Top Model Whitney Thompson severed as the celebrity host of this year’s festivities and helped create a major media buzz surrounding the event due to the Love Your Body campaign, where she and Chenese posed nude together. The photographs were featured in top entertainment blogs including CBS News, People Magazine, AOL Stylelist, NY Daily News, Perez Hilton, iVillage, as well as internationally in numerous blogs around the world. In addition the ladies were featured on television shows such as E! News and EXTRA.

Following the buzz created by posing nude for the Hollywood NOW Love Your Body campaign, Chenese cross promoted the Love Your Body campaign with the NOH8 Campaign by posing for a NOH8 photo with celebrity photographer Adam Bouska. Chenese was interviewed about the photoshoot for the National Examiner, which made the front page!

The 2010 Love Your Body campaign gained international attention and magnified her role as a leading positive body image advocate, this year Chenese was a quoted expert in USA Today, The National Examiner, and Northwestern University’s Medill Reports. She was also asked to sit on the Celebrity Board of the non-profit organization Fed Up, Inc.

Chenese ended the year on a festive note by appearing in Mariah Carey’s “Oh Santa” music video and commercial for Mariah’s new fragrance Lollipop Bling!

Exciting things are already scheduled for 2011, make sure you visit www.cheneselewis.com to stay up to date!

New York, NY, NY 10/06/2010: After successfully producing her very first runway show this February at the Historic Sweets Ballroom in her hometown of Oakland, California, Tracie Collins announced today that she will bring Kiss the Curves to Hollywood, for a three day fashion explosion March 18-20, 2011 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

With plus size fashion trends becoming increasingly popular, Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 is set to create major exposure for local and national retailers, designers and brands with its Hollywood themed debut. The three day showcase full of cutting edge designers and various live entertainment performances each day will kick off on March 18th with a foyer cocktail reception followed by the Big & Tall Male and Androgynous Woman runway shows.

March 19th will feature a VIP and Red Carpet Reception with red carpet interviews by Red Carpet Correspondent, Chenese Lewis, followed by the plus size woman runway showcase, which will feature Levi Strauss & Co., who will dazzle spectators with their new denim line Curve ID which caters to a woman’s individual shape and curve rather than size! Other featured designers set to take center stage are B.G.U (Big Girls United), SK WiLBUR, Tru Diva, and La Dan’s Closet, to name a few. The Saturday line up will also include the crowning of Junior Miss Kiss. March 20th will feature the Champagne Mimosa Brunch followed by the Full Figured, Fabulous and 50 runway show, saluting stunning plus size models over fifty years old who shatter every stereotype imaginable. As an added bonus guests will also be treated to a gospel music celebration at the end of the show.

With so many additions and developments underway, it is estimated that Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 will go beyond the turnout of its inception. Host hotels include, The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites Los Angeles and the Hilton Checkers Los Angeles, which have both designated room blocks for the event that are now available for bookings.

Model castings for Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 will be held towards the beginning of February 2011 in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. There are no height or weight requirements to participate as a model in any of the runway shows. Venues and specific dates for castings in select cities will be announced soon.

Teens wishing to participate in the Junior Miss Kiss Competition must be legal United States residents between 13 and 18 years of age who are full figured, articulate and confident. Participants must submit an essay telling why they feel they should be crowned Junior Miss Kiss 2011 and include two recent photographs (one head shot and one full body shot). Ten semi-finalists will be chosen for a telephone interview with Tracie Collins and from that call three finalists will be chosen, with the winner crowned at Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011. The winner of Junior Miss Kiss will receive an all expense paid trip to Kiss the Curves – Caribbean Kiss 2011 in August 2011, which will be held on the beautiful island of St. Kitts .

Current sponsors of Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 include Levi Strauss & Co., Clear Channel, and PLUS Model Magazine. Tickets to Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 range from the Early Bird Special of $45 per event day from now until December 1, 2010 to $300 for an all access three day VIP pass. Tickets can be purchased through Airborne Tickets and are currently on sale.

For more information or press inquiries, please contact: Renee D. Jennings: reneejennings@rmediagroup.com

About Kiss the Curves, LLC.

Kiss the Curves, LLC was founded and created by actress, author and model, Tracie Collins. The mission of the event is to bring positive awareness to the plus size community and show mainstream outlets that fashion is not limited because of your dress size. Fashion is defined, embraced and recognized, regardless of height and weight. Destined to open doors to plus size models, Kiss the Curves, LLC was created out of necessity; so that women can identify with someone who actually looks like them and shop from retailers who make fashion forward clothing specifically for the plus size consumer. For more information about Kiss the Curves, LLC including the 2010 recap, please visit www.kissthecurves.com.

Tracie Collins’ Runway Show “Kiss the Curves” Descends on Hollywood With Stellar Production Line Up

New York, NY, NY 10/06/2010: After successfully producing her very first runway show this February at the Historic Sweets Ballroom in her hometown of Oakland, California, Tracie Collins announced today that she will bring Kiss the Curves to Hollywood, for a three day fashion explosion March 18-20, 2011 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

With plus size fashion trends becoming increasingly popular, Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 is set to create major exposure for local and national retailers, designers and brands with its Hollywood themed debut. The three day showcase full of cutting edge designers and various live entertainment performances each day will kick off on March 18th with a foyer cocktail reception followed by the Big & Tall Male and Androgynous Woman runway shows.

March 19th will feature a VIP and Red Carpet Reception with red carpet interviews by Red Carpet Correspondent, Chenese Lewis, followed by the plus size woman runway showcase, which will feature Levi Strauss & Co., who will dazzle spectators with their new denim line Curve ID which caters to a woman’s individual shape and curve rather than size! Other featured designers set to take center stage are B.G.U (Big Girls United), SK WiLBUR, Tru Diva, and La Dan’s Closet, to name a few. The Saturday line up will also include the crowning of Junior Miss Kiss. March 20th will feature the Champagne Mimosa Brunch followed by the Full Figured, Fabulous and 50 runway show, saluting stunning plus size models over fifty years old who shatter every stereotype imaginable. As an added bonus guests will also be treated to a gospel music celebration at the end of the show.

With so many additions and developments underway, it is estimated that Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 will go beyond the turnout of its inception. Host hotels include, The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites Los Angeles and the Hilton Checkers Los Angeles, which have both designated room blocks for the event that are now available for bookings.

Model castings for Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 will be held towards the beginning of February 2011 in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. There are no height or weight requirements to participate as a model in any of the runway shows. Venues and specific dates for castings in select cities will be announced soon.

Teens wishing to participate in the Junior Miss Kiss Competition must be legal United States residents between 13 and 18 years of age who are full figured, articulate and confident. Participants must submit an essay telling why they feel they should be crowned Junior Miss Kiss 2011 and include two recent photographs (one head shot and one full body shot). Ten semi-finalists will be chosen for a telephone interview with Tracie Collins and from that call three finalists will be chosen, with the winner crowned at Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011. The winner of Junior Miss Kiss will receive an all expense paid trip to Kiss the Curves – Caribbean Kiss 2011 in August 2011, which will be held on the beautiful island of St. Kitts .

Current sponsors of Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 include Levi Strauss & Co., Clear Channel, and PLUS Model Magazine. Tickets to Kiss the Curves – Hollywood Kiss 2011 range from the Early Bird Special of $45 per event day from now until December 1, 2010 to $300 for an all access three day VIP pass. Tickets can be purchased through Airborne Tickets and are currently on sale.

For more information or press inquiries, please contact: Renee D. Jennings: reneejennings@rmediagroup.com

About Kiss the Curves, LLC.

Kiss the Curves, LLC was founded and created by actress, author and model, Tracie Collins. The mission of the event is to bring positive awareness to the plus size community and show mainstream outlets that fashion is not limited because of your dress size. Fashion is defined, embraced and recognized, regardless of height and weight. Destined to open doors to plus size models, Kiss the Curves, LLC was created out of necessity; so that women can identify with someone who actually looks like them and shop from retailers who make fashion forward clothing specifically for the plus size consumer. For more information about Kiss the Curves, LLC including the 2010 recap, please visit www.kissthecurves.com.