Posted by: Gen V. Caracena
About late December to early January this year there were news that fashion icon and celebrity fave-designer John Eshaya is joining Hot Topic to showcase his plus size clothing line at Torrid.
That most-awaited John Eshaya’s exciting collection is now available on sale at the racks of Torrid’s chain of stores.
The collection consists of John’s signature items like cool tee-shirts, jeans, and roomy sweaters.
Related Article:
John Eshaya Goes Plus The Torrid Way
Posted by: Gen V. Caracena
Hot Topic, Inc. has teamed up under a license agreement with John Eshaya, creator of popular JET clothing brand and store at Fred Segal and former vice-president of women’s wear at Ron Herman, both for their teen-oriented Hot Topic and plus size specialty Torrid stores.
Eshaya joins Hot Topic, Inc. as the first name-brand designer to create license collections under the John Eshaya for Hot Topic label and under the John Eshaya for Torrid label.
For a start, Eshaya will be showcasing seven to eight pieces of his signature designs each for the initial launches at Hot Topic and Torrid to include casual and cool tee-shirts, sweatpants, and roomy sweaters. With a touch of JET look, his pieces of designs would certainly be super cool and trendy for the plus size girls.
Launching in May this year, his new collections for Hot Topic Label and Torrid Label is something worthy to look forward to because it is Eshaya’s first time ever to come up with plus designs, targeting a wider market. His collections shall be made available this May both at Hot Topic’s chain of over 600 stores and Torrid’s over 150 stores.
John Eshaya is a darling of fashionistas and a celebrity favorite designer. To know more of him, please click here.
The Love Your Body Campaign was launched by the NOW Foundation’s Women Health Project in September 1998 as a national day of action to speak out against negative media image affecting women. Since then activists all over the country on Love Your Body Day express their rejection against distorted beauty standards and harmful advertisements in different venues like rallies, pickets, house parties, classroom discussion and more.
NOW Foundation is affiliated with the National Organization for Women (NOW), a 44-year old largest women’s rights organization in the United States that is geared towards a gender-fair and gender sensitive society. NOW has more than 500,000 contributing members (men and women) in more than 550 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Los Angeles – Hollywood NOW is a local chapter of NOW that specifically focuses on the needs, issues and concerns of women in Hollywood. They endeavor towards redefining the image of women in Hollywood, recognizing real beauty as healthy bodies inside and out.
This year, the Hollywood NOW celebrates the 5th Annual Hollywood NOW Love Your Body Day in West Hollywood on October 
22-24, 2010. Love Your Body Day is a production of Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC co-sponsored by the city of West Hollywood. It is an annual event for women of all sizes where they converge to celebrate a day of self-acceptance and promote positive body image. Like last year’s celebration, a number of events are being lined up that includes a launch party, festival, comedy show, and body image panel discussion.
Hollywood NOW was proud to announce Whitney Thompson as a celebrity host for this year’s Hollywood NOW Love Your Body Day celebration particularly for the festival part slated on Saturday, October 23rd from 12-4 in the afternoon at West Hollywood Park Auditorium at 647 N. San Vicente in West Hollywood. This is a free admission and open to the community. The festival features an entertainment by various performers - singers, actors, dancers, and spoken word artists. Most important and enthusing part of the festivities is the `real women fashion show’ featuring the creations of various plus size designers and retailers.
About Whitney Thompson
Whitney Thompson is a 23-year old American who is the first full figured model to win the tenth cycle of America’s Next Top Model. She has modeled in various outfits like People Magazine, Forever 21, Saks Fifth Avenue, Converse, Torrid, featured in a campaign with Pure Energy/Target, and a lot more. She is a spokesperson for the Right Fit brand of Fashion Bug. Presently, she is signed with Wilhelmina Models, one of the prominent agencies in the fashion industry worldwide.
She is the 2010 ambassador for the National Eating Disorder Association. She is an entrepreneur having launched her line in jewelry and candle collection called Supermodel. 
Crystal Renn is a 24-year old plus size goddess from Mississippi (who now resides in New York). She was only 14 when she was scouted into the world of glitz and glamour. She was really curvy and did not know anything about modeling then. She was advised by a modeling scout that if she really wanted to become a model, she had to drop weight. If she wanted to fit the editorial Vogue, she had to re-size. This 
was not a simple task for a curvy beauty especially for a 14-year old girl. But in her pursuit to succeed, she went on with a weight loss program. True enough, in a period of 3 years she had lost tremendous weight. However, despite her weight loss, still she was not happy with her body, and also with her career status. Faced with some health issues, she decided to drop her weight loss regimen and gave up excessive exercise. She took control of her life again. When she recovered from her eating disorder, she gained 32 kg and became size 12 in US measurement. Thus, she and her agency decided that she enter the plus-sized modeling industry.
Consequently, doors of opportunities for career advancement opened for her. She had signed with Ford Models to work in the 12+ division and leveled up in the international scene. She had occupied the pages of American, Italian and French Vogue as well as other prestigious magazines like Italy’s “Elle“, US’s “Glamour“, France’s “French” and Russia’s “Harper’s Bazaar”. To name a few, she has become a regular feature for Dolce & Gabbana, Lane Bryant, Saks Fifth Avenue, Torrid, and a lot more.
She has broken the society’s traditional ideals of what a beautiful model should be. She has proven that size is not a determining factor to succeed. She breaks the record at Chanel when she modeled for the world’ distinguished fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld during his Chanel Resort 2011 show in Saint Tropez. France. This was a record breaking moment for her because it can be recalled that Mr. Lagerfeld used to oppose larger models. With this, Mr. Lagerfeld seemed to have changed his perspective towards plus models.
Inspired by her experience as a model in the fashion industry in relation to her body transformations, she authored in 2009 the book “Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves”, an inspiring and cautionary tale for women of all ages.
Crystal Renn is truly an admirable plus size supermodel who is now comfortable in her own size. She sets as an example that a supermodel does not have to be super thin. She went her way to success via her own route. It was least expected that she will become a role model for women of all sizes.
Chenese Lewis is a blessing and inspiration to many women. She is an epitome of a real woman. I have just learned of her when I checked through the internet to see what Miss Plus America Pageant is all about. She joined the historic Miss Plus America Pageant in 2003 and became the first woman crowned Miss Plus America. From there she has grown to become a good actress, and highly in demand host, keynote speaker, expert commentator and plus size advocate.
She became one of the most successful queens in the Miss Plus America Pageant System. For her excellent performance in the area of positive body image, she was crowned Miss Plus America Lifetime, the most prestigious lifetime achievement award.
Ms. Lewis is a native of Louisiana, the only child born to Willie D. Lewis and Tharis Lewis on November 14 in Baton Rouge. She is an alumna of McKinley Senior High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She majored English at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
I am awed at the success of Ms. Lewis. I find no words good enough to describe her. Ms. Lewis’ resume enumerates her long list of accomplishments and present undertakings. You may visit her at her official website 
at cheneselewis.com. As an actress she has done several projects under different roles on film, television, and commercial. Her comedic skills has made B.E.T.’s “Hell Date” a number one show. Her hosting jobs in several radio and TV programs include On Air, Plus Model Radio, Curvy TV Girl, and Shout Out. She hosts live events like Hollywood NOW (National Organization for Women) Love Your Body Day, A Decade of Fashion Delights Charity Fashion Show, NAFFA Convention Fashion Show, Red Carpet Curves Fashion Show and Miss Plus Top Model Awards.
She is a Media Spokesperson in the Love Your Body Project. As an expert commentator, her numerous television appearances include the famous Dr. Phil and The Insider. She has done several speaking/hosting and lecture engagements at various prestigious events, workshops and seminars.
In April 2008, she was chosen as a celebrity face for SizeAppeal. She has modeled in many companies like Torrid, Kmart and other prestigious fashion outfits and magazines through prints/internet, films, fashion shows, and trade shows. She was also featured in Figure Magazine.
Ms. Lewis did not limit herself from just being an actress, model, host and speaker. She is the Chief Executive Officer for Chenese Lewis Productions, LLC a media company created in 2007 based on the principal that “you don’t have to be a size 0 to be beautiful.” She had created the HollyWood NOW’s Love Your Body Day, an annual event where women of all sizes come together to celebrate a day of self-acceptance to promote positive body image, and Plus Model Radio, the number one podcast for plus size women. She did not just model in the 2008 Flawless Calendar, but executive produced it as well. It is the very first of its kind, featuring curvaceous models from all different ethnicities, shapes and sizes.
More than just a celebrity, Ms. Lewis has a plus size heart for women. She finds joy in empowering women to embrace their curves and feel confident in their color. She conveys that a curvy size 22 can be as sexy as a size 2, especially when a woman feels great about how she looks. She is one of the living proofs that beauty comes in all colors, shapes and sizes. Her positive outlook as a plus size woman allows her to connect to real women around the world.
As she carries her career, she has set a good example that your circumstance as a plus size woman will never hinder you to fulfill your ambitions. She is not intimidated by the dictate of the society’s ideals of beauty. She had set her goals according to her terms, and not on what the society dictates. It is not surprising that in December 2007 she was labeled by the Plus Size Model Magazine as “A Leader in the Curvy Revolution.”
I affirm with her that beauty comes only when you first “love your body” and when there is “self acceptance”. I cannot expect anyone to approve of me, unless I approve of myself. I believe that body image can only improve if we think that we are God’s unique creation, fearfully and wonderfully woven with a purpose. We are unique from the rest of mankind, with unique gifts and attributes. Remember, the most important approval that we get is the one that comes from our own Creator. So live and enjoy life according to his purpose.
