Mary Duffy

Last updated
Mary Duffy
Born
New York, New York, United States
NationalityAmerican
Education Mt. Holyoke College
OccupationAuthor, speaker, spokeswoman, fashion expert, entrepreneur
Known forFirst petite/plus-size model agency

Mary Duffy is a feminist fashion expert, spokeswoman, entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker who has worked to expand the concept of beauty for the majority of women who do not fit the ideal stereotypes popularized by the entertainment and fashion industries.

Contents

She expanded the first model agency specializing in plus-size models and petites. Her career has included multiple television appearances, fashion shows, seminars, and print media interviews, as well as two years each on QVC and HSN. She also had a ten-year plus-size pattern line for Simplicity Patterns, designed three other fashion lines, and authored several books.

Professional background

After graduating from Mount Holyoke College, Duffy's career direction started in the mid 1970s when she became one of the first plus-size models. [1] [2] She liked the work so much she decided, in 1979, to buy a start-up agency from Beth Kramer in NYC, immediately adding Petites, creating Big Beauties/Little Women, the first agency in the world specializing in plus-size models and petites. [1] [2]

By 1984, Big Beauties/Little Women was successful enough to run national model searches advertised in the press. [3] The prize included the cover of It’s Me magazine, a nationally published magazine for plus-size women. [3] In 1987, her first book, "The H-O-A-X Fashion Formula", was published. In 1988, she sold her company to Ford Models, [4] [5] where she became Executive Director for Special Sizes until 2010. Ford renamed the division Ford 12+, and then Ford+. [4] [5]

Duffy’s own career as a model included national campaigns for Gloria Vanderbilt, L'eggs, and Weight Watchers. [1] [3] In 1980, she began motivational speaking. In these lectures she advocates a message designed to enhance women's self-esteem. She has also commentated on more than 1250 fashion shows and seminars, and appeared on more than 800 television shows, including Today , Good Morning America , Sally Jesse Raphael , the Oprah Winfrey Show , Hard Copy , The Jenny Jones Show , and CNN. [1] [3] [4] She has also done more than 600 print media interviews, including Cosmopolitan , Woman’s Day , Family Circle , Ladies Home Journal , New York Daily News , and New York Times . [1] [3] [4]

In her books, shows, and interviews, she has espoused the messages "Mattel made Barbie, but God made us," and "God doesn’t make mistakes." [2] Concerned with the media's unattainable image of "perfection" generated by much of the fashion industry, Duffy offers advice and options on fashion and beauty for women. [2] She states a personal belief that any woman, no matter what her age, size, height, finances, or features can (and should) develop her own unique personal style. Her message is that it's not what you've got, how much of it, or how old it is, but what you do with it is what matters. [1] [3] [4]

From 1991-93, she appeared regularly on QVC. [5] In 1993, she introduced a successful pattern line for Simplicity Patterns, a collection of large-sized patterns based on her H-O-A-X body shapes. [2] From 1997-99, she designed and presented a ready-to-wear clothing and accessory line for The Home Shopping Network, called "Personality" by Mary Duffy. The line was based on her theory that there are four distinct fashion personalities, which are defined by individual motivation: The Classic who dresses to be appropriate; The Dramatic who dresses to be noticed; The Casual who dresses to be comfortable; and The Artistic who dresses to be unique.[ citation needed ]

Personal

Born in New York and raised in New England, Duffy lives in Manhattan where she is a member of The Junior League and The Fashion Group. Since retiring from Ford Models in 2010, she has started a company to inform and encourage the self-esteem interests of all women, called Fashion 4 the Rest of Us. [2] Besides "The H-O-A-X Fashion Formula", [6] she has written two other books, "The Complete Petite", [7] and "The MakeOver". [8] She has also co-authored and self-published two more books with her husband, Marc Guerrero, a book of short stories, "East of Tiffany’s", [9] and a book on advanced writing techniques, "Toolbox for Writers". [2] [3] [4] [10]

Related Research Articles

Model (person) Person employed to display, advertise and promote products or to serve as a visual aid

A model is a person with a role either to promote, display or advertise commercial products or to serve as a visual aid for people who are creating works of art or to pose for photography. Though models are predominantly female, there are also male models, especially to model clothing. Models may work professionally or casually.

QVC American television network

QVC is an American free-to-air television network, and flagship shopping channel specializing in televised home shopping, owned by Qurate Retail Group. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States, QVC broadcasts to more than 350 million households in seven countries, including channels in the UK, Germany, Japan, and Italy, along with a joint venture in China with China National Radio called CNR Mall.

HSN American home shopping television network

HSN, an initialism of its former name Home Shopping Network, is an American free-to-air television network owned by the Qurate Retail Group, which also owns catalog company Cornerstone Brands. Based in the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, the home shopping channel has former and current sister channels in several other countries.

Janice Dickinson American model and actress (born 1955)

Janice Doreen Dickinson is an American model, television personality, businesswoman, and author. Initially notable as a model, Dickinson has been disputably described by herself as the first supermodel. One of the most successful models of the 1970s and 1980s, she also served as a judge on four cycles of America's Next Top Model (2003–2006). Dickinson opened a modeling agency in 2005 which was documented on the reality series The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (2006–2008).

Kathy Hilton

Kathleen Elizabeth Hilton is an American socialite, fashion designer, philanthropist and television personality. She is the mother of socialite Paris Hilton and fashion designer Nicky Hilton and the half-sister of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stars Kim Richards and Kyle Richards.

Ashley Graham (model) American model

Ashley Graham is an American model and television presenter.

Emme (model)

Emme is an American plus-size model, social reformer and body image advocate. Emme gained worldwide fame as the first full-figured model chosen for People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People, first in 1994, then for a second time in 1999. Emme is largely recognized in the 1990s as the leading model in the profession, as well as its highest earner.

Jay Manuel

Jay Manuel is a Canadian TV host, Creative Director, make-up artist, and author. He is most recognizable as the Creative Director on the popular reality television show America's Next Top Model for the first eighteen seasons. Manuel also was featured as the host of Canada's Next Top Model.

Plus-size clothing is clothing proportioned specifically for people above the average clothing size. The application of the term varies from country to country, and according to which industry the person is involved in.

Plus-size model

A plus-size model is an individual from size 12 and above who is engaged primarily in modeling plus-size clothing. Plus-size clothing worn by plus-size models are typically catering and marketed to either Big & Tall or Tall men and women. Plus-size models also engage in work that is not strictly related to selling clothing, e.g., stock photography and advertising photography for cosmetics, household and pharmaceutical products and sunglasses, footwear and watches. Therefore, plus-size models do not exclusively wear garments marketed as plus-size clothing. This is especially true when participating in fashion editorials for mainstream fashion magazines.

Sheath dress Type of dress designed to fit close to the body, relatively unadorned

In fashion, a sheath dress is a fitted, straight cut dress, often nipped at the waistline with no waist seam. When constructing the dress, the bodice and skirt are joined together by combining the skirt darts into one dart; this aligns the skirt darts with the bodice waist dart. The dress emphasizes the waist as its skirt portion is fitted. While the sheath dress can come in many patterns and lengths, it often is worn with short sleeves and reaches knee length.

Sophie Theallet French fashion designer (born 1964)

Sophie Theallet is a French fashion designer whose clients include First Lady Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Oprah Winfrey, and Gabrielle Union,

Joy Mangano is an American inventor and entrepreneur known for inventions such as the self-wringing Miracle Mop. She was the president of Ingenious Designs, LLC, and appeared regularly on the U.S. television shopping channel HSN until her departure in late 2018.

Christina Mendez

Christina Mendez is a New York City-based plus-size model and entertainment personality.

Myla Dalbesio American model, artist, and writer

Myla Grace Dalbesio is an American model, artist, and writer.

Ryann Maegen Hoven, known professionally as Tess Holliday and formerly known as Tess Munster, is an American plus-size model, blogger, and make-up artist based in Los Angeles.

Project Runway All Stars is the fourth season of the Project Runway spin-off series Project Runway All Stars. It features 14 designers from previous seasons of the original series with Alyssa Milano returning as both host and judge. TV fashion correspondent and Marie Claire’s Senior Fashion Editor Zanna Roberts Rassi returns to mentor contestants.

The International Dwarf Fashion Show, also known as The National Dwarf Fashion Show, is a non-profit organization which seeks to empower and raise awareness to people living with dwarfism by putting on fashion shows consisting entirely of people living with dwarfism. They are best known for their contribution to fashion week in Paris, New York and Berlin.

Denise Bidot American plus-size fashion model

Denise Marie Bidot is an American plus-size fashion model.

Linda Arroz

Linda Arroz is a speaker, author, and former spokesperson, plus-size model, stylist and magazine editor, originally from Flint, Michigan. She was one of the first plus-size models to get a contract with a major brand.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Russel Stewart, Rose (5 April 1984), "Founder of Big Beauties battles thin attitudes", Toledo Blade
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Blau, Melinda (Spring 2011), "Letting Go of the Body Myth", Mount Holyoke Quarterly, South Hadley, MA, USA
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "This Model Doesn't Have To Stay Thin", Lexington Herald-Leader, 10 June 1984
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Boies, Elaine (20 November 1988), "Majority of U. S. women fit into the 'special' sizes", Chicago Sun Times
  5. 1 2 3 Cloud, Barbara (6 December 1990), "A Plus: No More Back To Basics", St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  6. ↑ Duffy, Mary (1987). The H-O-A-X Fashion Formula. New York, New York: The Body Press. ASIN   B001M2GQ6M.
  7. ↑ Duffy, Mary; Atwood, Janet (1990). The Complete Petite. New York, New York: McGraw Hill. ISBN   0070024197.
  8. ↑ Duffy, Mary (1999). TheMakeOver. Tampa, Florida: HSN.
  9. ↑ Duffy, Mary; Guerrero, Marc (2009). East of Tiffany's. New York, New York. ISBN   978-1439269749.
  10. ↑ Duffy, Mary; Guerrero, Marc (2010). Toolbox for Writers. New York, New York. ISBN   978-1451525717.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.