WOWoman: Gwen DeVoe

Gwendolyn DeVoe, a full figured woman with a big personality and even greater style, is more than deserving of the title of WOWoman. On Sunday, March 28, 2010, Ms. DeVoe’s company DeVoe Signature Events hosted the Soul Series Brunch at Taj Lounge to collect dresses for the Pretty Girl Project prom dress drive. This sophisticated event exuded a warm and genuine ambiance. The soulful menu boasted delectable items like the memorable French toast, chicken and waffles, hangar steak and eggs, all accompanied by mimosas, sangria and mojitos. The entire event was beautifully orchestrated and executed by the gracious host Deja Mills, allowing Ms. DeVoe to work the room with warm greetings for everyone who came together with nothing but love and support for the Pretty Girl Project.

The Pretty Girl Project was co-founded by Cassandra Jones-McBryde and Stephanie Penn-Danforth with a mission to “encourage girls 12-17 to embrace inner and outer beauty,” and one of their goals is “to prevent girls from engaging in high risk behaviors by assisting them in building healthy self images.” The Pretty Girl Project is hosting The Annual Prom Princess Event on April 24, 2010 in Detroit, Michigan to help relieve the burden of costs associated with prom from families. Their intention is to meet the prom needs of 50 high school girls not only with dresses and accessories, but also with motivational speakers and demonstrations to prepare them for their journeys into womanhood. Through the combined efforts of events like Ms. DeVoe’s in New York City, it is hoped that they have exceeded their goal and created more opportunities for even more high schools girls’ prom dreams to come true. To contribute to this effort, contact info@prettygirlproject.org.

Gwen DeVoe, who has made major moves in supporting full figured women through her own modeling career as well as with her own trail blazing efforts like The Plus Academy, Full-Figured and Fabulous, and her most recent endeavor Full Figured Fashion Week. With a mission to support the fuller figured women, Ms. DeVoe made it her duty to have all sizes on the spectrum represented in the dress donations for the Pretty Girl Project prom dress drive. Although Ms. DeVoe pays special attention to full figured women, it is in no way her intention to exclude anyone. She simply makes an exclusive effort to reach out to full figured women so that they are eventually included in the norm of the wide variety of shapes and sizes that women come in.

Gwen DeVoe continues to blaze the trail as she prepares for Full Figured Fashion Week, which will take place in New York City June 16-20, 2010. After a more than anticipated reception last year, Full Figured Fashion Week is back this year with a schedule packed with a Big and Tall Male Fashion Show, a Concierge Shopping Trip, an expo and a panel discussion. Bringing together aspiring and signed models, designers and full figured women from all over, this event is sure to leave a major impression beyond the full figured fashion scene in NYC.