EVANDER – Ms Gugu Guzana Zulu began her company Plus Diva that aims at empowering and giving confidence to plus size women.
She said she was not born curvy and when she began gaining weight, it became a serious problem for her.
“I looked in the mirror and hated my body, because of the weight I had gained after giving birth to my child,” said Ms Zulu, who also confessed that like many other women, she tried all kinds of diets, but nothing worked.
Ms Zulu said when people see plus size people, they usually think they have gained weight because they are obese, but that is not always the case.
This criminal expert from the forensics department at the Secunda Police Station, began to accept her body when she realised she was not losing weight through gymming and dieting.
“I saw an advert for the audition of plus size models for a retail company and that was where my interest in modelling began.
“The most difficult task was to find a legit agency to help me get into the modelling world and after failing to get one, I decided to Google and see if I can get information,” said Ms Zulu, a freelance plus size model.
Ms Zulu has already appeared in magazines, such as Essays of Africa’s December issue, in which she was wearing swimwear, and also appeared on the Vat en Sit programme on e-tv.
After realising the need to speak out and empower plus size women, she founded Diva Plus to encourage others to accept their bodies and who they are.
Through her auditions for plus size models, she met other women who are in the same industry.
They formed a group of women who are addressing different issues through their different companies.
Her company is now working in collaborations with the likes of Big Girls, Sdudla Chronicles, Forever Curvy and Thick Girl Supremacy.
Ms Zulu, who is also a blogger, has more than 67 000 followers on her Plus Diva Facebook Page that was created in March, which puts her in the top position compared to her colleagues Big Girls and others.
“I get messages from women who are experiencing difficulties in accepting their bodies.
“We always support them by also posting pictures of plus size women on Facebook and looking at the reaction when we post them, we realise there are many women who are experiencing the same problems.
“We sometimes post controversial photos that show stretchmarks and cellulite and people respond differently, some positive and others criticizing us,” said Ms Zulu.
Plus Diva helps women from all over Mpumalanga and the photo shoot she had this past weekend, had women from Siyabuswa, Machado, Ermelo, as well as local.
Plus Diva will be hosting a fashion show for plus size women in September.
To learn more about Plus Diva, you can join Ms Zulu’s Facebook page, Gugu Guzana Zulu, or like the Facebook page Plus Diva.
