Draft:Marie Denee

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Marie Denee Leggette (known professionally as Marie Denee) is an American entrepreneur, digital media publisher, and fashion editor. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Curvy Fashionista, a plus size digital media publication she established in December 2008.[1]

Early life and education

Denee holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing. Prior to founding The Curvy Fashionista, she worked in retail management for over eleven years.[2]

Career

Founding of The Curvy Fashionista

In December 2008, Denee founded The Curvy Fashionista, a digital media publication focused on plus size fashion. Denee has stated the publication was created in response to a lack of fashion editorial coverage for plus size consumers at the time.[3] The publication began as a blog and expanded to include editorial content, brand partnerships, community programming, and events.[4] According to Forbes, by 2022 the publication had produced over 3,500 articles.[5]

Partnerships and initiatives

Denee has worked with brands and retailers including Nordstrom, Chevrolet, Marina Rinaldi, Old Navy, Eloquii, Ashley Stewart, and Gwynnie Bee in hosting, consulting, and partnership capacities.[6]

In 2021, Denee partnered with Eloquii to launch the Cultivate Award, a program for emerging BIPOC independent designers working in plus size fashion. The program offered a $10,000 grant, professional mentorship, and the opportunity to produce a capsule collection sold on Eloquii.com.[7][8]

Denee was selected for Marina Rinaldi's "Women Are Back" campaign and has moderated panels at the Essence Festival of Culture.[9]

In 2015, Denee founded the TCFStyle Expo in Atlanta, a consumer event for plus size shoppers, brands, and industry professionals. The event attracted over 500 attendees in its second year.[10]

TCFStyle Society

In December 2025, Denee launched the TCFStyle Society, a membership platform offering free and paid tiers to plus size consumers.

Recognition and awards

Denee has received the following recognition:

  • The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans
  • Ebony Future 50
  • BET Future 40
  • The Network Journal Top 40 Under 40
  • Full Figured Fashion Week Industry Award[11]

Media coverage

Denee and The Curvy Fashionista have been covered by Forbes,[12] Women's Wear Daily, Ebony, Essence, Refinery29, The Cut, Black Enterprise, Glamour, Lucky Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Marie Claire, Shape, and NBC.[13][14]


References