What inspired you to create Erzullie?
Me (Aries De Guzman), and my bestfriend (Berna Cuevas), are the owners and designers of Erzullie. We actually got inspired by our own depression. (Talk about blessing in disguise) As plus size women, we had a hard time looking for really stylish clothes that would fit our curves right. There are a lot of designs out there that we would love to wear. Unfortunately, the size range is limited.
So we decided to make a brand for ourselves. Erzullie was born. We chose that name because she is the voodoo goddess of self-love (in some texts), and that is, what we think plus size women need more for themselves. This became our life, our advocacy and our passion. Since then, we are now enjoying fashionable clothes, and we get to share it with other plus size fashionistas who love fierce clothing like us.
Aries and Berna
What makes Erzullie stand out from all the other local plus size stores?
What makes Erzullie stand out is that we offer moderate to high fashion plus size clothing. The brand's style is about fierce curves, as our tagline would suggest. As such, all of our clothes are designed for the plus size fashionista that wants to release her inner "fierceness" and flaunt her sexy curves.
We are more about providing something more edgy for the fashion hungry plus size women. Simply put, all of our designs were made to glamorize, sexify and adorn curves.
What is Erzullie's mission?
Our mission is very simple. We want to promote self-love and confidence to all willing plus size fashionistas out there through providing moderate to high plus size fashion.
Have you ever received harsh criticism from competitors? How did you react/deal with it?
We have always thought that competitors are actually people like us providing a different kind of fashion option to plus size fashionistas out there. We will be honest about this, as much as we would like to provide for all plus size fashionistas, there will always be limitations that our brand will have. Like maybe our customers would like to have a different type of clothing that we haven't produced yet or a plus size fashionistas want another image that our line cannot provide.
And for us, this is all good. For us, the more options for plus size fashionistas out there... THE BETTER.
I must admit though that we tend to focus more on the love that people has showered us so far. (Hahaha addictive optimist) Should there be any tough love given to us, our reaction would be to look at it and see if it's valid. If it is, then we use the new found knowledge to help enrich the brand more. We are actually thankful for it in the end. If it is not, then we still give thanks to that person for sharing that kind of love. It makes us focus more on the people who actually supports our line.
What is your size?
My size actually varies. It depends on the cloth and style of the clothes. To tell you the truth, I bounce around L to 2L in the Erzullie brand. Berna's size also bounces from L to 3L. (Big gap right?) Because ultimately, and I am saying this as a Plus Size Wardrobe Stylist and shopper, that clothing size really depends on the cloth and style of the fashion item. There will be times that you will be in a smaller size or bigger, but it does not mean that you have shrunk or grown. Most of the time, it would mean that the cloth is not stretchy or the design is very roomy.
Favorite store/s?
Hahaha. I am a lover of my brand. My favorite, of course, is Erzullie. (Apologies if it sounds self-conceited. Haha.) Otherwise, we do not have any particular favorite store. It's more on the brands for us. Me and my bestfriend are lovers of indie designers. For shoes, we love Soule Phenomenon and Renegade Folk. For accessories, we love Opida Accessories (we sometimes sell it in our Erzullie bazaars). We sometimes buy from Forever 21, Mark & Spencer and DIVISORIA (fashion haven).
Favorite style icon?
I know for a fact that Berna loves Queen Latifah. Whenever she looks at her, all that she can think about is how powerful, beautiful and intellectual this woman is. Me? I will admit that I have none. Berna? Hahahaha. She knows more about styling than me.
Favorite pieces of clothing to wear?
Berna and I love dresses. They are very easy and quick to wear. Jackets and pants are also a staple for me. For Berna, it's more on leggings.
How do you want people to see your style?
Berna's style is always about urban chic. My style is more of sexy hippie.
Where do you get your confidence from?
My heart. I know it sounds cheesy. However, at the end of the day, it's the love for yourself that get's you going for the next day and more. It is the one that keeps on reminding you of your true worth --- infinite.
I am pretty sure that same goes to Berna. Hehehe.
How important are other people’s perception of you to you?
I will admit that not so much. I am an eccentric person, so I know that most people view me as a weirdo. But I am happy as I am, so at the end, there is no point of valuing other people's perception. It's just ideas thrown at you. it depends on you if you'll believe it. The only perception I value is mine. Like, I ask myself, "After everything I have done today, do I still love myself?"
Message to other Plump Pinays:
To all the Plump Pinays out there, please remember to love yourself each and every day. There is no point of comparing your body to other people's because everyone is and will always be different from each other.
Please do check out our fashion line as well! You can order online through visiting the Erzullie website. You can also visit our other outlets in Cinderella (Glorietta 3), Backstage Store (Serendra, Taguig), Sueno (Makati City), and Sofa Retail Lab (Rockwell Powerplant).
For more information about Erzullie, please do visit and add us in these social sites:
WEBSITE: http://erzullie.multiply.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/erzullie.fiercecurves
BLOGSPOT: http://erzullie.blogspot.com
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/erzullie
TUMBLR: http://erzullie.tumblr.com
You can also email us at erzullie@yahoo.com for other inquiries. Cheers! Super love!
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Meeting one of the owners of Erzullie is such a privilege! From the moment I sat down with Aries, we just couldn’t stop talking. She was so real, sincere and full of passion, always mentioning that she’s doing what she does to reach out and help dress bigger girls with trendier and nicer clothes (compared to the first wave of plus-size clothes w/c were so conservative and matronly). I absolutely loved talking and sharing ideas with her, she was such a breath of fresh air. I wish more designers in the fashion industry are like her, who really cares about her market and wants the best for them. I truly admire Aries because she stands strong and believes in her purpose amidst the numerous challenges that she and her bestfriend (which is her business partner) have faced. Her optimism astounds me. She truly is a certified plumpinay! After our meeting, I definitely feel like I gained a friend. Aries, I wish you all the best! Your line is truly making a name for itself, and you guys definitely, without a doubt, deserve it.
Plump love,
Danah