Setting new trends with Philly Fashion Week and Philly FatCon

Think Carrie Bradshaw, but Philly

Since leaving academia, I have become absolutely obsessed with BIPOC designers and size-inclusive fashion. Although Philly isn't known for being fashion-forward, every time I attend church or local festival events like Fringe or Juneteenth, I see humans dressed at the peak of personal expression. When 19-year-old Kevin Parker and Kerry Scott started Philly Fashion Week back in 2006, I squealed, envisioning myself as a Black Carrie Bradshaw, sitting in the front row, rocking Philly cultural fashions made by Norristown-favorite D'iyanu and African American milliner American Hats. When I learned about Philly FatCon, I squealed even harder as their event would bring even more size-inclusive vendors to the area alongside body-positive performers.

Parker enthusiastically details making runways open to all. “One thing about Philly Fashion Week is we want to make sure that fashion is for everyone, right? This is fashion, it's a business, it’s a billion-dollar business. I want to make sure that your everyday consumer sees themselves on a runway ... So we partnered with Lov’n My Curves to have a size-inclusive runway show. We have our petite show for the models who aren't necessarily 5'8" and taller. We also have our youth fashion shows that we do in partnership with Fashion District Philadelphia.” With the inclusive mentality featuring regional designers of all backgrounds, races, and ethnicities, they blossomed from a couple hundred attendees for the initial show to thousands. They are currently aligned with the Council of Fashion Designers of America while receiving support from New York Fashion Week creator Fern Mallis.

Can’t keep them down

Philly FatCon co-coordinator Donnelle Jageman enthuses a similar mentality for “accelerating the [plus-sized] community.” Philly FatCon grew out of a clothing swap that started in 2021 with 75 participants. When Jageman met Curve Conscious owner Adrienne Ray in 2021 and Curvy and Seductive owner Kenyatta Harris in 2022, the trio formed a body-positive, fashion-forward Super Friends. Last year, the initial Philly FatCon featured 253 attendees, 45 vendors, and 28 presenters. This year, Philly FatCon’s plans to move to a larger venue led to a series of unfortunate events when the University of the Arts closed—the university even kept their rental deposit. Fortunately, William Way LGBT Center presented as an amazing location partner, and the fashionable trio keeps moving forward. This year will feature burlesque performers, body-positive dance/exercise classes, seminars, clothing swaps, numerous vendors, and on-site sewists.

When asked how their event contributes to Philly’s fashion inclusivity, Jageman stated, “Regionally, we're trying to elevate as many plus size and size-inclusive brands as we can and give them a way to get to know their community.” Although this includes locals such as SwimBodTee, BodyPlus, MoonRoseVintage, Sarah Tremain, and Kelly's Klothing, it also attracts sponsors and vendors outside the area. She admitted a big hurdle for plus-size people is having a place to try on clothes and find new brands. She feels Philly FatCon grants attendees the ability “to find new clothes when they haven't had very many opportunities.”

So, if you’re interested in cutting-edge fashion that appeals to all sizes, check out Philly Fashion Week in September and Philly FatCon in October.