Nancy Baum - Founder of Cherished-Woman.com

A successful plus size model, Nancy Baum's latest venture is Cherised-Woman.com. a new and unique online plus size clothing store which caters to curvy ladies with discriminating tastes. Pasazz.net was lucky enough to have a chat with Nancy, who reveals more abour herself, her career and her new curvy business.

Thanks Nancy for taking some time out of your busy schedule to speak to Pasazz.net, it is truly a pleasure on our end to have this opportunity!

First off I'd love for you to give us a brief look into who you are and the work you have carried out in the plus size industry over the years, so let's start with some questions right away...

Pasazz: You are one of the leading plus size models in the industry, how did your modelling career kick off?

Nancy: By a lot of hard work and perseverance! I sent my pictures to all the modelling agencies that had plus size divisions as well as going to open calls. It finally paid off and I was signed by a major agency and started working right away. The first time I saw my picture in an advertisement was the most exciting feeling ever!

Pasazz: As a young girl, was it your aspiration to be a model when grown up?

Nancy: As a young girl I did want to be a model. I loved everything related to the fashion world. I read every fashion magazine, watched anything fashion related on TV, and read books on fashion and modelling. I also have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and knew I wanted to own my own business as well.

Pasazz: Now moving on to your latest venture Cherished-Woman.com, tell us what inspired you to open this new online store?

Nancy: It was out of sheer frustration of not being able to find hip and stylish plus size clothes. I was shocked and dismayed at how limited the choices were for women like myself. It was embarrassing and frustrating to show up to work or at a social function and have on the same outfit as my plus size peers. This has happened to me more times than I care to admit!

Pasazz: What is the main aim behind Cherished-Woman.com? Which particular void within the plus size fashion industry are you trying to fill?

Nancy: Cherished-Woman.com’s goal is to provide a one-stop shopping destination for curvy girls with discriminating tastes. While searching for plus size clothes for myself I saw how limited the choices were for stylish and trendy plus size fashions. In addition, there was a shortage of high-end designer fashion that is contemporary and geared for women that are young and young at heart. I was seeking curve-conscious, flattering designs - not moo-moos or tent dresses! The market seemed to be full of matronly plus size designs but not enough of the trendy stuff our thinner sisters get to wear.

Pasazz: What type of full figured woman is Cherished-Woman.com trying to cater for?

Nancy: We cater to the full figured woman who wants to look stylish, trendy, and fashion forward. She prefers body conscious designs that are more contemporary in style than what other retailers offer. Our customer is a professional woman in her mid twenties to early fifties. She wants to spend her discretionary income on high-end designer fashion because it makes her feel confident, sexy, and right on trend. She appreciates the attention to detail the high-end designers give and doesn’t mind paying more because the prices are commensurate with the quality of the merchandise.

Pasazz: Cherished-Woman.com carries top quality and designer plus size clothing, how do you pick out the items you include in your store? In other words, what makes you say: "Yes, I want this line on Cherished-Woman.com"?

Nancy: Buying the right items for our online boutique is our top priority. We search worldwide for the latest styles and up and coming plus size manufacturers that have a fashion forward edge to their designs. Aside from an item being trendy and stylish, it also has to be cut right. So many plus size designers grade their items up from the smaller size. That doesn’t always translate well on a curvy body. A good designer knows this and hires plus size fit models so that the proportions flatter a fuller figure. I have seen a lot of trendy items that are very inexpensive but the quality is very poor and would probably fall apart after one washing. When you invest in top quality designer fashion it will last season after season which is why they call it an investment! Cherished-Woman.com wants your closet to be full of top quality, fashion forward designs.

Pasazz: What does the near future hold for Cherished-Woman.com? Perhaps an exclusive Cherished Woman clothing line is on the horizon?

Nancy: Someday I hope to design an exclusive line for Cherished Woman, but in the mean time we are getting demand for plus size maternity clothes as well as plus size lingerie. We will be adding some maternity styles and sexy lingerie and shape wear in the very near future.

Pasazz: I'm sure being an entrepreneur is quite different to modelling in many ways; do you have a preference between the two?

Nancy: Being in front of the camera is a lot of fun and very glamorous. It is also exciting to travel and see all the latest fashion trends but to me being an entrepreneur is much more rewarding and fulfilling. When you actually start your own business and see it flourish is the most amazing feeling ever! It's also very rewarding to get emails from my curvy sisters thanking me for having an online store that gives so many options for trend-forward designs that flatter their curvy figures.

Pasazz: Will we be seeing less of you on the modelling scene, or do you expect to keep that up at the same rate?

Nancy: My focus right now is making Cherished-Woman.com the top shopping destination for plus size fashionistas! Running a successful e-store requires me to be devoted to that full time and hang up my modelling hat. I will always have fond memories of being a plus size model but right now I am focused on being a successful business woman and making Cherished-Woman.com a household name in the plus size shopping world!

Pasazz: What is your favorite ice-cream flavor?

Nancy: Without a doubt, chocolate is my all time favorite ice-cream flavor!

Once again Nancy, we thank you for the insight you have given us and our readers! We definitely recommend all our readers to visit Cherished-Woman.com and take a look at the great collection of plus size clothing Nancy and her team have put together just for you... and your curves!