Confessions of a Curvy Girl Designer ;)

Thursday. night. was. AWESOME! Dear Lord! I felt like the show lasted 15 seconds because it went by so fast, but there we were, struttin' our stuff. I am so proud of all of my ladies. They really shined that night, and I have received nothing but the best compliments anyone could ever hear. It makes me tear up a little bit, honestly. It's a wonderful feeling!

Overall, it was a really great experience. There are a lot of things that I felt should have been done differently, but as far as this being the producers' first show, I was pretty satisfied! I know they worked so hard on this show, and I hope that they continue doing this because of such a great response it got. It was a sold out show and the bouncers were turning people away at the door. That says something right there.

First off, Barbara Morin is a goddess! The hair and makeup was perfect. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted, but she dreamed something up based on the clothes and the overall vision I had for the runway, and her execution was flawless. She is wonderful to work with, she can do anything, and her cheerful, positive attitude can make even the craziest person in the room feeling like they have the whole world in the palm of their hand. I could have been that girl the other night. Michelle McClendon did such a wonderful job as well. She worked alongside Barbara and the two made a great team. It wouldn't have gone nearly as well without either one of them. You can find Barbara at Siren's Salon and Michelle at Regency. That's right - Michelle is still learning this stuff and she is already rockin' it out! Be on the lookout for that one.

One of my favorite moments of the night was when two of my friendmodels (These ladies are more than just a model to me!) Polly and Erin saw one of my other friendmodels, Cuesta, who was in the other shows with them. They were so excited to see each other, and it made me so happy! I felt like there was a community built around this company with my friends, and they had such a sweet interaction. They squealed a bit, hugged and kissed each other, caught up on each other's lives, and pumped each other up about the craziness they were about to embark on once again. I really wish I had my camera for that moment.

After the show, 2 of my other ladies told me how this experience really helped them with their self-image, and I couldn't have been happier when they expressed this to me. The main reason I started this clothing company is to provide a way for a gorgeous, plus size woman to not only express herself through her clothing but to make her feel so great she forgets any insecurities. For one, the whole runway experience really made her feel wonderful, even though I know she was nervous. That sweet girl brought a flask of whiskey, ok? I thought that was pretty awesome! ;) (Love you, girl!) Plus, there is always the fear of busting ass on the runway, but I hope that flask took some of the edge off. She did great! And the other lady said the dress was what took her focus off of an area she is a little insecure about. You never would have known, and it made me really happy that a well-fitting dress could make someone forget about an area of her body she finds unflattering. She was absolutely stunning! All of these beautiful ladies made me so proud, and I couldn't have done this show without them.

Seeing all of the outfits put together head to toe as we lined up to go out almost took my breath away. At one point, I said, "You guys are making my dreams come true." Polly said she started tearing up when I said that, and it's true! I had this dream of a line of clothing and it grew into clothing + jewelry + hair pieces, and the looks totally rocked! Jillian Simmang (+ her incredible mother Jean Hays) worked herself to death on the jewelry, and each piece was incredible. She is so talented, and her creative energy + mine became a force to be reckoned with! I wouldn't want to see the outfits without her jewelry on that runway. From earrings to necklaces to corsages, Jill is a super classy bitch who knows how to work it. I am so fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with her and to simply be her friend.

So, thank you, all of my friendmodels who are gorgeous, talented, and so dear to me! Their names are Cuesta Murphy, Erin Hickok, Polly Smith, Dollie Hodges, AnnMarie Wilke, Jillian Simmang, Mindy Sea, and Michelle McClendon. And of course, thank you Barbara Morin for all that you have done for me.

There is a lot of stuff coming up for SavannahRed, so check back soon. Until then, love yourself for who you are, but if you need a little help, you know who to call!

<3.
SavannahRed