Talk show host Nina Parker becomes first Black woman to have a plus-size line in Macy’s

Nina Parker is bringing sexy back into plus-size clothing with her new line, The Nina Parker Collection. It is the first Black female-owned line to be sold in Macy’s stores nationwide.

According to E! News, Parker’s new all-inclusive 17-piece line will come in 16 W to 24W, all inspired by her personal style because she believes that women should feel sexy, confident, and stylish regardless of their size.

 “I want them to feel bossy, like they can walk in a room and everybody will take notice.”

“My stylist and I were trying to find stuff off of the rack and it just wasn’t comparable to my counterparts,” Nina said. “It felt really unfair, like, ‘Yes, I am bigger than them, but does that mean I don’t matter as much because my waist is bigger?’”

They say bigger is better and in recent times, brands have been embracing inclusion than ever before. Full-figured women are also coming out in their numbers in the fashion world, ripping many runways, working with countless high fashion brands while challenging perceptions of beauty in the modern world.

Parker said shopping for clothes in shops always felt like she was brokering a drug deal because the clothes were always huddled at the back of the shop. She hopes to change that with her line, which will be displayed at the front and middle aisles in Macy’s.

“Sometimes you feel like you’re getting a drug deal,” Parker jokingly said. “It’s like, ‘Why do we have to feel like we’re being alienated because of our size?”

 “With plus sizes, it’s like they want us to hide,” the Nightly Pop host explained. “They’re matronly, something my aunties might wear. I’m like, ‘I don’t understand why big has to mean conservative.’”

Representation matters and body positivity is all the talk now. The stereotypical images of slim models on TV screens and magazines are gradually shifting because social media has given a voice to many ‘underdogs.’

In the past, one would hardly see plus-sized models gracing the covers of magazines or on our television, but now many plus-size models and influencers have graced our lives through social media.

“With plus, you’ll have fit models, but they have flat stomachs,” said Parker. “For me, when I’m shopping, I look at women who have bodies similar to mine to know how I’m going to look. It’s important to me that our fit model had curves, a little FUPA, thick calves—those types of things women struggle with.”

For now, the collection will stock tank tops, dresses, and denim that feature bold prints, fun fabrics, and of course sequins to shine bright, with a price tag starting from $39 to $129, all just in time for spring and summer. The line is set to hit stores and online on May 14.

Over time, Parker intends on expanding her collection to include shoes, shapewear, jewelry and swimwear.