Nicolette Mason Is Delivering a Game-Changing Capsule Collection For Curvy Women Everywhere

A quick glimpse at Nicolette Mason's Instagram profile — which boasts nearly 200K followers — and it's obvious: this is a woman with style and influence. Nicolette has spent nearly a decade in the industry — you might remember her early days as Marie Claire's "Big Girl in a Skinny World" columnist — so when the body-positive advocate teamed with the luxury ecommerce site 11 Honoré to roll out a curvy capsule collection for Veda, we were all ears.

The three-piece collaboration is an important step toward diversifying the fashion industry. Of the capsule, Patrick Herning, founder of 11 Honoré, told us, "11 Honoré's first capsule evolved from our friendship, which ultimately led to the creation of the Nicolette Mason x Veda collection. Not only is Nicolette a role model for the plus-size community, but she has an innate and authentic sense of style that we are thrilled to share with our customer. From the start, collaborations were always going to be a part of the 11 Honoré story — this is the first of many to come and we are excited to continue to partner with influencers in the space to empower women through fashion."

Each item in the capsule is a statement piece with everyday appeal, with an emphasis on giving women beyond a size 12 options they can be excited about. Who better to speak to that mission than Nicolette herself? We tapped the influencer, designer, and advocate to share the message behind the collection and what this means for the future of the fashion industry.

POPSUGAR: What inspired this capsule?

Nicolette Mason: The pieces are all designed by Veda, with Lyndsey Butler as their lead, but I curated these styles for the capsule because they're each stand-alone statement pieces with a ton of versatility; I love having wardrobe workhorses that easily transition from work to weekend and day to night that still make a major fashion statement.

PS: What's your favorite piece and why?

NM: With just three pieces, it's hard to pick a favorite! I feel like we really narrowed down to some amazing styles that have longtime staying power. But if I had to pick, I'd say the Baby Jane Moto Jacket; the cropped moto is one of Veda's classic styles and one of my personal go-to outfit completers (my favorite outfit recipe is a leather moto over a dress), and we picked this incredible, buttery-soft lilac hue that is very of the moment.

PS: You've been such an advocate for inclusion and diversity in the fashion industry. Who do you think is doing a good job helping to make this space more inclusive? And what would you say to the people/brands who have work to do?

NM: I think we spend a lot of energy talking about the brands doing it badly, but I love so much of what is happening in fashion right now — especially after 10 years working in the industry. Of course, I need to give a nod to my business-partner and Premme cofounder Gabi Gregg for being such a pioneer in the swimwear and lingerie spaces, with her collections at Swimsuits For All and Playful Promises. I also really love what Glossier, Fenty, and Nars are doing (and have been since their inceptions) in beauty.

In fashion, I'm inspired by Christian Siriano, Universal Standard, Savage x Fenty, Tanya Taylor, Mara Hoffman, and, god, there are so many brands doing really positive things right now. 11 Honoré is really a leader in bridging the gap between the luxury market and the extended sizes market. It's exciting to be part of this shift in even a small way.

My advice to any brands looking to break in is to actually hire diverse teams. There's so much nuance in experience, language, etc. that is important in order to be truly inclusive and sensitive to people's experiences, and it shows when an internal team within an organization echoes the diversity they're trying to achieve through marketing.

PS: What message do you hope to send with this capsule to the fans and followers who love your style?

NM: For me, I hope the message is that this is truly just the beginning of a more inclusive fashion world — one where there's limitless choice. I think choice is probably the greatest luxury of them all.

PS: We love following you, not just because of the great style but because of your authenticity and attitude. Who are the women/role models you follow for inspiration?

NM: So many! I actually feel incredibly lucky to have friends who inspire me daily — Gabi Gregg, Patrick Herning, Brad Walsh, Nina Kossoff, Jazzmyne Robbins, La'Shaunae Steward, Kellie Brown, Leo Seigal (of Pop & Suki) . . . There's a long list. Not a day goes by where I don't feel enormously grateful to be surrounded by people who renew me creatively and spiritually. Is this too corny?! I guess I'm kind of a softie.