Denise Bidot made history last week when she became the first-ever full-figured Latina model to walk in New York Fashion Week!
I've been waiting for this day for ages—we all have. Up until now, designers have been promising to support the CFDA Health Initiative's "Health is Beauty" campaign and represent body diversity on the catwalk, but so far few have delivered. That is, of course, until now.
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The 26-year-old Boricua-Kuwaiti model opened for Chromat and closed Serena Williams' HSN Wednesday during Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion, essentially strutting her way into history. And if you ask her, this is just the beginning.
"I felt like this year just set the bar so high," Bidot explained in an interview with ELLE. "Finally, it was exactly what we've been begging the industry to do, which is just to stay a part of it. We want to be high fashion. We want to wear these pieces and walk these catwalks. There shouldn't be barriers as far as what we're allowed to do. So it's really refreshing to see something changing and to be a part of it and to be in the forefront of it. It was just amazing. I feel like our industry is finally taking notice and it was a really big step forward."
And not just a big step forward for full-figured models, but for everyday women as well. Denise agrees. "It sets a younger generation up to feel confident—to feel powerful and to know that anything is possible regardless of your size. It's just setting a standard of confidence, I think." I couldn't agree more. The fact of the matter is, curvy models and models of color often times become role models to your young girls. So many of our chicas yearn to see themselves represented on the catwalk, on television, and in the media, in general. So when someone like Denise comes along, they take note. We all do.
So who exactly is this belleza who is kicking down long-standing fashion industry barriers, in sky-high heels, no less? Get to know Denise Bidot:
She's always dreamed big. When she was only 18 years old, the Miami native packed up her life and headed out to Hollywood in the hopes of becoming an actress. However, her dreams were (temporarily) dashed when casting directors had the nerve to tell the statuesque belleza she had "a leading lady personality but a best friend body type." Pffft. She's showed them.
She doesn't like to be called plus-sized. "It's so interesting–I see myself as normal," Bidot told Shape in a recent interview. "You know, the average American woman is a size 14, and I've always been comfortable at a size 14."
She has a mini-me. The gorgeous Miami native is a single mother to her 6-year-old daughter Joselyn, who she affectionately calls her "mini-me." Like her mami, Joselyn is as beautiful as she is smart.
She's everywhere! In addition to her runway work, Denise has worked with such clients such as Forever 21, Macys, Target, Old Navy, Nordstrom, Lane Bryant, Levis and is currently the face of Danish brand Zizzi Clothing. Phew!
She keeps it real. I've had the distinct pleasure of meeting Denise in person, and I can honestly say she's as warm and effusive in person as she is on the runway and on the NUVOtv reality show Curvy Girls.
Image via Getty Images
