Plus-size model Nadia Aboulhosn talks body shaming, confidence and her new collection
Before I became a freelance writer and fitness expert I spent nearly 10 years of my life interviewing celebrities for my job as an entertainment television producer. I met all kinds of names – big and small. Sometimes, I’d meet them and instantly understand what the hype was about and other times, well, let’s just say they would fail to live up my expectations. But, on the rare occurrence that a celebrity surpasses those expectations, it is electric. That is exactly what happened when I sat down with plus-size blogger, designer and model, Nadia Aboulhosn for the launch of her capsule collection with Addition Elle.
The film crew and I arrived early to the small but sweet hotel room in downtown Toronto to set up for the interview. The 26-year-old arrived to the space a few minutes later – on time and on point! My first impressions of the American blogger: Gorgeous? Yes! Stylish? Certainly! But, Aboulhosn’s infectious presence is far more than that. She comes off as confident and quirky; kind and sassy; sweet and tough. She has that proverbial “it” factor and it is delightful to be around.
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Aboulhosn modelling a look from her Addition Elle collection (Instagram/nadiaaboulhosn)
After she revels in the “good lighting” and takes a few quick selfies, we take our cozy seats in front of the camera. First, I ask how it feels to finally see her new collection in stores. The only way she could explain her excitement is to describe her reaction when she saw the window display at the Addition Elle store, the night before. Aboulhosn says she couldn’t help but laugh at herself, explaining that she freaked out, face-timed her mom and stopped strangers walking by to show them that she was the one on the poster. Adorable. Yes, she might have nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram, an uber successful lifestyle blog and an influential name in the plus-sized fashion industry, but for her, the attention is still as exciting as it was when she first started out, more than five years ago.
The size-16 stunner isn’t just adored by hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, she’s also adored by some of Hollywood’s finest. “Girls” creator Lena Dunham has admitted to being “obsessed” with Nadia and also explains that Aboulhosn has been a major influence in helping her learn to love and accept her own body. As for how she feels about being a role model to Lena and many others in the curvy community, she explains that she takes that job seriously, ‘There’s nothing more I want to do than help people – more than designing, more than blogging or modeling is being able to help people who are not in a position they want to be in. I want them to be the best versions of themselves.”
Instagram/nadiaaboulhosn
If you’re just familiarizing yourself with Aboulhosn,, a lot can be learned from her Instagram account. A few observations: she’s the queen of the selfie; has a fairly serious crush on Drake; loves to laugh at herself; and has more than her fair share of self-confidence. Makeup free snaps, sexy ensembles, provocative poses, even videos in the shower – Nadia could lead a master class in self-love, something she tells me that she was taught at a young age, “I learned that it’s how you feel inside at a very young age and not how other people think of you and it’s been like that since I was 13 and I’ve been like, ‘Forget you I care about what I think.’”
As for style tips for her fellow curvy sisters, she urges everyone to throw out the rulebook and do what feels right. “You should be able to wear what you want when you want… There’s too many rules. I feel like as long as you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing and confident that’s all that matters. If that means being half naked or wearing ankle strap shoes, just do it.”
