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This UK Retailer Launches Talent Fund To Empower Plus Size Women To Change The World

Navabi is on a mission to not only dress plus size women but help them make their dreams come true.

The UK retailer recently launched their Global Talent Fund, geared towards start-ups, designers and creatives that specifically address issues in the plus size industry and community.

The first grant in the amount of £5,000 (about $6,555 US) has been awarded to Too Bold Too Brave, a company run by creative duo Maryam and Tatenda, that creates films to challenge perceptions in plus size fashion.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlqvIYPnmjZ/?taken-by=tooboldtoobrave

Maryam is the one who styles, directs, composes the music, casts and sometimes stars in their films, and Tatenda shoots and edits them. Talk about a powerhouse duo!

Maryam shared her feelings via Navabi’s website on the duo being awarded this amazing opportunity:

“Winning the grant has been emotional. It can be challenging producing your own content especially to a high standard. It’s so encouraging for a brand like navabi to say hey we like what you’re doing and want you to do more of it.”

She adds:

“This will give us the provision to make more short films and continue to build an amazing portfolio of work and open more doors so we can continue to push the vision that fashion can continue to push forward with a new image. I can also collaborate with other stylists which can elevate some of the roles I take on for each film.”

Maryam also describes Too Bold Too Brave as much more than a company, considering it a movement:

“I was tired of being fed the same images in plus-size fashion which normally was white women with the perfect curves: small waist, slim arms and thick thighs. A lot of these campaigns dressed the women in t-shirts and jeans or lingerie, there is nothing wrong with that but we wanted to create high fashion images and films that represented other women that I feel have been excluded from fashion especially black women. We wanted to see plus-size women in high end fashion to inspire those who really want to dress well and walk in confidence.”

The duo has since created a short fashion film called Summer in the City and will create three more fashion films with the grant money.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bld5j8Dn_8u/?taken-by=tooboldtoobrave

Maryam stars in the short film, describing it as capturing “the energy, vibrancy and confidence London gives you.“:

“To show off south-east London – where I’m from – was perfect, I’ve always wanted to shoot in my local area and places like Brixton. We wanted to show these fine pieces of clothing against the backdrop of vibrant, urban London.”

Navabi’s goal with this grant is to support new fashion labels or businesses that aim to make a positive contribution to the representation of plus size women.

Danel Barker, navabi’s CMO, said:

“At navabi, we pride ourselves on being more than ‘just’ a fashion brand. Our mission is to positively contribute to the way plus-size women are perceived around the world, whether that’s through representation, changing the discourse around bodies, or setting a new standard for what plus-size women deserve.”

Kudos to navabi for creating such an incredible opportunity to support those wanting to create change in the plus size community and industry via their creativeness.

You can find out more information at www.navabi.co.uk/global-talent-fund.