Yona Love is not just a woman with impeccable taste; she is also a woman that shares her passion for plus-size fashion by creating a line for women who are considered unconventional when it comes to fashion. Yona believes that beauty is not about size but also confidence, so she took matters into her own hands and created a line of clothing that allows women to express their personality through brilliant colors, fun patterns, and styles that complement every curve. She offered to the world the sophisticated looks of Yona New York.
“I have been sketching apparel designs since childhood,” Yona shares. “When I was little, even my doll had to be perfectly dressed.” Yona used her childhood to fuel her desire to create amazing clothing. As she continued her passion to draw it would lead her to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. But because of unforeseen circumstances, she had to put her dream on hold temporarily so that she could help her mother build her consulting business. “I finally had the resources to share my fashion art with other plus-size women.”
Yona always wanted to be her own boss and although she had a lucrative partnership at a successful construction and consulting firm she was ready to move on and create designs to change society’s view of beauty. “It took many years of hard work to make it a success, but now my dream of designing fashion apparel for plus-size women is a reality.”
Yona New York is clothing for plus-size women who want to be classy, professional, and be taken as seriously as everyone else. Yona New York is designed to exude confidence without effort. “A woman can slip into one of my dresses and stride confidently into a boardroom, a court room, or even go to a cocktail party, knowing she looks and feels fabulous,” says Yona Love. “I know how it feels to have to search the back of a store, only to find ill-fitting and over-priced leftovers. I want to help end size discrimination in the apparel industry. That’s why I encourage other plus-size designers to join me in the battle.”
And yes, it has definitely been a battle for plus-size designers to be well received in the fashion industry. Fashion Features Director, Connie Wang of Refinery 29, touched on the sensitive topic in her article, “Plus-size Problems”. According to Connie, “The average American woman wears a size 14 — and the majority of women are considered overweight — but you’d be hard-pressed to find any brand that caters to anyone who wears above a 12. In plain business terms (which the fashion industry ultimately operates on), the numbers don’t add up. But, the answer to why this happens is a bit more complicated than mere prejudice.”
This is why Yona is so very passionate about her company. “The time has come for plus-size women to feel deserving of more fashionable options,” she says. “While my clothing is not priced as high as other luxury brands, the quality we achieve in our Brooklyn factory matches anything I would buy for myself at a high end store.”
Yona also adds, “Unlike some brands which grade up from a size 4 sample, we design for an 18W. Our fabrics are chosen to stretch and flow to better leverage the natural beauty of a larger woman.”
Yona does not want to just stop at creating amazing clothing. She wants to create a movement that will encourage designers to cater to the many fabulous women in the plus size world. She also wants to encourage plus size women to speak up and demand better fashion choices from their favorite designers and clothing stores. “It’s really up to each of us to advance the cause, until plus-size people enjoy the same variety as straight sized consumers.”
On June 16, 2016 Yona New York will have a pop up store during Full Figure Fashion Week’s Celebrate My Size Expo in Manhattan, at 404 10th Avenue, from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm.
There is so much more that Yona has in store for her many customers because of their appreciation of her designs. “When my customers tell me with tears in their eyes that my clothing makes them feel worthy and empowered, I know we are making a difference.”
To learn more about Yona New York, visit: http://www.yonanewyork.com
