VIP Café Show – Youngstown, Ohio – Local Guests with Amazing Impact to Our Community

E62 The VIP Café Show with Jennifer Frank on Fashion for All: Celebrating Every Body

• Debbie Larson and Greg Smith • Season 4 • Episode 62

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Jennifer Frank, creator of the Every Body Fashion Show, shares her journey from fashion-loving Italian girl to New York City professional and finally to passionate mentor of fashion students.

• Started the Every Body Fashion Show in 2013 in memory of student Danielle Peters who passed away from complications of bulimia
• Models of all shapes, sizes, and ages (from 6 months to 74 years old) walk the runway
• Fashion has psychological impact, giving people opportunity to "sparkle" and feel confident
• Show planning requires thousands of hours of preparation and coordination
• The fashion industry now focuses more on social media influencers than traditional magazines
• Understanding your body type helps you adapt fashion trends to what works for you
• Mentoring students is Jennifer's greatest joy and success

The Every Body Fashion Show will be held May 7th at Eastwood Event Center, doors open at 5:30pm, show starts at 6:30pm. Free admission. Anyone interested in modeling should email Jennifer at jmfrank@ysu.edu right away.


Speaker 1:

Hey, hey, hey, it's the VIP Cafe show here from the great Havana house in Boardman, Ohio. Thank you so much for letting us have our show here, the VIP show, and I'm here with my wonderful co-host.

Speaker 2:

Debbie.

Speaker 1:

Larson.

Speaker 3:

I am Greg.

Speaker 1:

Smith.

Speaker 3:

Thank you, Greg. So what's going on these days? It's going to get warm out there. It is beautiful. I just feel like everybody's in a better mood.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Even though it was raining. What do they say? April showers bring May flowers, so we can't even complain about the rain.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I see you're sporting your Mark Cuban wear there.

Speaker 3:

I figured I was dressed up last week as we talked about before the show.

Speaker 1:

Mark Cuban can decide what he wants to wear, right?

Speaker 3:

Absolutely so, can you? You're right. It feels like it should be a tagline for something.

Speaker 1:

That's absolutely true. We have a guest, kind of about that, don't we?

Speaker 3:

Yes, today's guest actually is. She started the Every Body Fashion Show. Men, women, senior citizens, children they have different categories, so it happens once a year. And so we have former merchandising professor Jennifer Frank and a lot of people know Jennifer from around town. She's just puts her heart and soul into helping students and helping them understand fashion, create fashion. We are the most creative nation on earth and without the creative eye and the creative arts we would just blend in with everybody else. So each one of us are a walking billboard and with that hello.

Speaker 2:

Jennifer Hi, thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 3:

Oh, thank you for being here. So what got you into?

Speaker 2:

fashion. I have loved fashion since I was a young girl. I grew up in an Italian family in Boardman and we celebrated every occasion, good or bad with food Sounds like a good childhood.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it wasn't bad. You become a little bit maybe on the chubby side as a young girl and it was really hard. I would look at the models at the time and I thought, oh, maybe if I looked like that I could be so happy or I would be so pretty. And I said, ok, what do I have to do for that to happen? And I realized I could study fashion and then I could be happy and I found happiness in studying fashion. That is such a cool story, all right.

Speaker 2:

Thanks for listening. Thanks for listening so what made you?

Speaker 1:

you know what? Usually what we do in life, we do it because we want other people to share our joy or we want people to avoid the pain. So what was the? I think it's a little bit of both, maybe.

Speaker 2:

Definitely it's a little bit of both. I, when I finished studying fashion, I wanted to move to New York City that was the end-all, be-all goal for me and live Sarah Jessica Parker lifestyle in the city. So I did that. I was very blessed to work in the industry for many years and then, as I got older and settled down in my hometown, I realized I could teach young people so they could achieve their dreams like I had achieved mine.

Speaker 1:

That's good, that's so good.

Speaker 3:

So what is the craziest thing you've seen in the fashion world in your time, whether in New York city or just some, something that, if a student has designed, have you ever?

Speaker 2:

seen anything. It's so easy. It's Crocs. I am so confused by Crocs. They're not cute, they're not stylish, they're not comfortable.

Speaker 3:

I don't understand why anyone at any age is seen in public with Crocs. That is hilarious, and they're so expensive.

Speaker 1:

That's where you do your doctor done.

Speaker 3:

Do you know? Okay, so that takes it into something that fascinates me, which is the marketing of things. Like you could take something that makes no sense, market it right with the right people or in the right magazines. Magazines used to play a huge way, bigger part than maybe they do now, but it used to be. If you could get in that magazine, then that was it. You would get that those sales.

Speaker 2:

But it's social media. Now it has taken over. Unfortunately they're still like Vogue. It's a goal to get in Vogue, but you know the fashion magazines. I used to get 20 a month, now I get five. They're just not in print anymore you have to get on that celebrity and get that celebrity to post your product on social media. And if it's the right celebrity, that's, you don't need anything else.

Speaker 3:

I used to get the magazines in college and my college wall were like cutouts from the fashion magazines. Believe it or not, I know I'm not a fashion. You are.

Speaker 1:

You are your shirt matches your sweater, thank you and I'm wearing my 70s bell bottom.

Speaker 3:

Hey, thatom that's good, something that's good. Okay, so tell us a little bit about why you started this fashion show. We'll get right into that, because this is something that has garnered a lot of community interest. I've been to the last two, I believe, and it's so cute to see everybody sporting their own fashion. So can you tell the audience how, what it is, set the picture of what it is, why you do it and then how they could be involved?

Speaker 2:

Of course, danielle Peters was a young student in 2012, studying fashion merchandising, and unfortunately, she passed away on July 21st from complications due to bulimia. So in 2013, we started having the Everybody Fashion Show In her memory. We bring awareness about eating disorders in a positive way. You will see a fashion show with all shapes and sizes on the runway, all ages. Our youngest model has been six months. Our oldest model is 74. We have drag queens, we have models with Down syndrome. We have everyone in the show and if you want to model, it's not too late. If you want to come, it's May 7th. It's going to be at the Eastwood Event Center, 630 start time. Okay, and is it free to get in?

Speaker 2:

It's no tickets required, just show up and grab a seat and get ready to have fun Nice.

Speaker 3:

So, Greg, you could strut your stuff down there.

Speaker 2:

I think you should.

Speaker 3:

You have some nice clothes, some nice designer Put you in a suit.

Speaker 2:

We'll fix you all up, he's not excited. He's not excited listeners.

Speaker 3:

He could rock so many different looks. You could be in like multiple categories.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'm not the. If I have to go somewhere and I have to be representative of something, I will wear what I need to wear. My normal thing is what's in my closet that morning and where's my hand go? I'll pick this Does this match no, okay. Does this match yes, okay, okay.

Speaker 3:

So how fun would it be? So, those of you listening, whether you're're, no matter who you are, we'll just put it like that if you want to go stretch your stuff, if you have a favorite outfit, you want to walk the runway, or you've always dreamed about being in fashion or walk in the red carpet, what song, dude, if you had your own song to walk the carpet, walk the runway, to which song would it be?

Speaker 2:

oh, I like I'm every woman. Whether it's whitney or shaka's version, they're both good, it doesn't matter yeah, I don't think that would be a good one for me you never know, probably not so go ahead.

Speaker 1:

No, no, I'm saying, some of my, some of my friends would like that.

Speaker 3:

But I went to a bridal show and they had the most beautiful dresses, but the lady let I hope they're not listening the lady let her daughter pick the playlist. And so, instead of these romantic songs, these brides are there. They're just newly engaged and they're they want to feel romantic and like a princess or just beautiful. They're walking the runway and over and over again, they're playing man. I feel like a woman like get up telling, basically bossing her man around, Like you guys know that Shania Twain song, right, and I'm like, okay, this is a great song for some in some specific times, but not when you're trying to set up this whole fairytale engagement.

Speaker 1:

I think all that's important when you're doing a show. How do you coordinate your shows? How do you coordinate? Because there's a lot that goes into the music the lighting where the people sit, the best angles.

Speaker 2:

It's all really important. Start planning the next years the day after we have our show. So this will be May 7th, may 8th.

Speaker 1:

We'll start planning the 2026 show. So how many hours would you say, go into planning a show like this? Oh, thousands. Wow.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, more than anybody could really imagine when they just come and sit. I have some former students I'm so blessed this year that are helping me. So we are actually meeting later this week and next week and we're going to talk about music and talk about the lineup. Who's going to come out when all that is important? Yeah, and we have to do the seating chart.

Speaker 3:

So it's amazing to see the students work alongside of you and really develop that leadership ability as well. For them to coordinate these big groups of people. It's not just an opportunity for them to be fashion students, it was also an opportunity for them to lead and direct, and I watched it. I watched it from behind the stage and in front just how much that coordinated it was really great, you got to do the outfits.

Speaker 1:

You've got to do the people because people get sick People. You have to be able to handle that. You have to handle timing. You have to have all the people in the right place.

Speaker 3:

You the sound system's got to work and then how many times how long you stay at the end. If you're starting yourself and you want to stay out there for a few extra, we do have a couple.

Speaker 2:

Our dj knows when these models go out. I've got to have another song ready but, we love them. That's okay. I think the one was like the oldest lady in the show, right? Yes she was out there. She'll be this year. A good 10 minutes on the runway. We love her. We love her. Shout out to Dolly.

Speaker 1:

We love our Dolly. That's hilarious. That's awesome.

Speaker 3:

So tell us about some of the students that have gone through your program or you have had the opportunity to connect with, because I know some of them are. They're creating their own lines and open up shops yelling and dictating.

Speaker 2:

this is what you have to do. It's a collaborative effort. It has to be, and mentoring is one of my biggest blessings in life and one of my biggest joys.

Speaker 3:

So what did you start first? Sewing, knitting, can you create your own outfit from scratch?

Speaker 2:

No, I am much more knowledgeable and good on the business side than on the design side. But I have several students that they have gone on and they sew their own line and you're going to see their stuff on the runway on.

Speaker 1:

May 7th, just remember, pavarotti didn't read music. Just remember that, really, he didn't know how to read music.

Speaker 3:

And Elon Musk doesn't know how to drive a rocket.

Speaker 1:

I'm okay with it.

Speaker 3:

Drive a rocket, fly a rocket, I don't know.

Speaker 2:

Build a rocket. Either way, I'm okay with it. We all have our strengths, and there's some people that could never put on a show.

Speaker 3:

The art without the business Doesn't work. Unfortunately, there are so many beautiful, amazing, talented artists and they're sitting like in prison or they're sitting with their skill, just like going to waste, because they don't have the business. Maybe they don't even have the interest, but they don't have that business ability to turn it into something.

Speaker 1:

So can you share a story of a? I don't know if you want to name a student or not, but could you share a story where somebody came in, withdrawn and all that, and then they went through your program and now they've blossomed because they've figured out that it's okay to be a fashion person?

Speaker 2:

It's okay to do this. There have been several. They show up like their freshman year, and they're very quiet and very timid. And I am obviously not quiet and I have this ability I don't know where it comes from to get people out of their shell and get them to feel comfortable. And I have one student who, up until his senior year he would just sit in class and he was so quiet and I couldn't get through. I couldn't get through. And then his senior year, finally I got through and he never stopped talking and he has gone on to.

Speaker 2:

he started a job and I was on vacation and he texted me. He was four months into the job and he got a promotion over 20 people. He was chosen and I was just so proud because I remember all those three years he didn't say anything and then I said wow, I was, that is so heartwarming yeah that is neat that is really cool and that's the best part of it. Yeah, having your students and the younger people succeed, that's my success. When they succeed I always ask.

Speaker 1:

Whenever I teach, I always ask the students. I say, hey, who here wants to be the best in the world of what they do? Who wants to be the success when they succeed? I always ask. Whenever I teach, I always ask the students. I say hey, who here wants to be the best in the world of what they do? Who wants to be the best? They literally sacrifice going out at night, they sacrifice going to different things, they sacrifice what they eat, what they actually have. Everything they do is just for this one thing. Their whole life's about this one thing and they become the best in the world. Who wants to do that? And one or two students put their hands up out of a whole class.

Speaker 3:

Wow.

Speaker 1:

And I'll say see, there's not much competition there.

Speaker 3:

So go for it Wow.

Speaker 1:

And that's the truth, wow.

Speaker 3:

Wow, man, I'm going to write that down, but it is.

Speaker 1:

That's good, you that down. But it is when you find something you love and then you have somebody that breathes into you. There's this whole thing of I gotta find what I love, I gotta find what I love. The truth of it is someone has to breathe into you. There has to be that spark. We are designed for relationship and when you breathe into those students and you believe in them. That does amazing things for them.

Speaker 3:

True, wow, okay, you've seen these fashion shows on TV right, where they take somebody and they have zero fashion and it's just a horror story as far as the fashion goes. And then they do this little makeover thing and all of a sudden they're like a whole new person, right, I've seen the ability for fashion to really make somebody feel like they actually belong or like they. So talk to us a little bit about the psychology of fashion from your world.

Speaker 2:

Oh, my goodness, we could talk for hours, because I actually did my master's thesis on clothing and body image and on how it can affect your body image. Just from our show. We have these people that you don't quote unquote typically see on a runway and they get out there and they sparkle for that five seconds, 10, 15 seconds that they're out there and they love it and they get off the stage and they thank me every year. And there's models that have tears in their eyes because they say this is my only chance every year to get out there and sparkle. And that's fashion. Sounds like my golf game.

Speaker 1:

That one hole that you hit, the one good shot at.

Speaker 2:

It's really not. It's not really rocket science. You feel better about yourself when you get dressed up and you I know I do Put things together.

Speaker 1:

Preparation in the show is a moment.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Preparation is a lifetime.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, absolutely Absolutely so, with that, and I know that everybody fashion show is about accepting you and what you're comfortable and what you feel better in, and that is amazing. But have you through the fashion I know you're a little bit more of the merchandising, but have you? Is there like that form where you could say, okay, you're taller or you're this way, like somebody told me. Somebody gave me some fashion advice years ago.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I understand.

Speaker 3:

And for my body type. They were like okay, they noticed something about my body that I didn't even like. I'm just me, so I'm not like studying, oh this is different.

Speaker 1:

What compliments who you are?

Speaker 3:

Exactly, and so she gave me advice about my body that actually has helped me so much in these different different things. Because I used to wear, I used to. If it was a fashion, especially the college. If it was a fashion, I would wear it. I wasn't like, oh, is this, does this look good? And I used to get frustrated that certain things were like like I have a long torso, so my shirts unless I got longer shirts and I wore, like hip huggers, I'd be like, oh, my shirts are constantly going up, not realizing that it was just my body type.

Speaker 2:

So have you, have you You're not the only person that does that.

Speaker 3:

Like there's a lot of things so it's important to understand your body.

Speaker 2:

Yes, person that does that Like there's a lot of things. So it's important to understand your body. Yes, there's a lot of things that don't look good on every person. M5-4,. I love high-waisted dress pants. I cannot wear high-waisted dress pants. I look like the Smurf Smurfette. I just they don't go for me. So if you see something that you like, that is that trend in a magazine, you have to figure out how to work it for your body type. What could I take from that? Can I take the color? Can I take something of the style and make it look good on me?

Speaker 2:

So when I see those high-waisted dress pants. What can I do? What can I take from that? What color are they? Is there some kind of something I can take from it?

Speaker 3:

That's why a lot of people don't like shopping because they think they're supposed to look like I've got a great question.

Speaker 1:

Any men listening to this will go yeah, so when your significant other says to you Do I look fat in this? What should be your?

Speaker 3:

response.

Speaker 1:

Because they all. I don't care who you are. Your mate always says does this make me look fat?

Speaker 2:

This is another hour-long podcast. We need to bring a psychologist in here.

Speaker 1:

But what's the best response to that?

Speaker 2:

I think it's different you have to know your significant other. I would want you to tell me the truth. Why would I want you to go out? Let me go out looking.

Speaker 3:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

But there are some people that no, I would say why are you? Using that F word. I don't use that F word in my vocabulary. That's a bad word. That would be my first question, don't?

Speaker 1:

say that. I love that, because I'm not allowed to say the word relax. I'm not allowed to say relax, because it's a swear word In my home. You can't say relax, you have to say be at ease.

Speaker 3:

Wait, is that your rule or somebody else's rule?

Speaker 1:

Somebody else's rule? Okay, okay, but you have to obey the rules. You cannot say but I like that no more. That's an F word, Don't use that I like it.

Speaker 2:

No, I love it. It depends on the person.

Speaker 3:

I think a good thing would be to say what do you want to be noticed when you wear this dress? What do you want to stand out?

Speaker 2:

How are you feeling in it? Turn it back on them, maybe. How are you feeling in it? And then compliment, the favorite.

Speaker 3:

Thing that they know you like about it.

Speaker 2:

Or talk about something else. Turn the narrative away from that F word. Turn it into a positive.

Speaker 3:

Right, because if somebody's that F about something else.

Speaker 2:

Turn the narrative away from that f word to turn it into a positive right, because that word is negative, the whole. When it comes out of your mouth it just is a connotation of negativity. So turn it into a positive damn good he might be making his runway debut I'm wearing them down.

Speaker 3:

No, I think it's important because every girl knows what her if she's a little bit overweight, or none of us are necessarily like blind to the areas that we need to improve on. So I think if you turn it into a compliment, the Toastmasters teaches you this as well a little bit.

Speaker 3:

But if you turn it into a compliment and say I really like your legs and I don't feel like it's flattering to your height, or I love, I love your height, but I feel like it makes you look shorter, like a. You know I'm saying. It doesn't show the world what I see, or something like that. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1:

Then I think the person knows the answer you have to charge for this podcast the person asking does know the answer yeah, they're probably searching for something else when they ask that question.

Speaker 2:

Okay, all right, so thanks for listening mic drop.

Speaker 1:

Tell us, tell us how they can listen to this podcast. Tell our audience how they can listen don't you have to tell them not this one, yours oh one Yours, oh, my show. Your show, oh, my show, they can come to the Eastwood Events Center on May 7th.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we know how to do this show. The doors open at 630. At 530,. The show starts at 630. Okay, eastwood Events Center Free parking, free entry. Yeah, come have a good time. Free cookies Are there free cookies?

Speaker 1:

No, there's no food, but there's so many great restaurants in the Eastwood complex.

Speaker 3:

Listen to Ty and say there's no food.

Speaker 2:

I know right, you'll survive, you could eat afterwards. You're right If you're nice, we'll invite you to the after party where there will be food. There is a lot of good food.

Speaker 3:

There is a lot of good food, but it's just not during Some bubbles afterwards. Speaking of which, I'm not saying that this is where you should go, especially before or after a fashion show that you want to rock it out in.

Speaker 2:

But did you see that? Somebody told me there was a potato restaurant coming to the Eastwood.

Speaker 3:

Mall. It's open. I haven't been, but it's all about the potato. It sounds good to me. It's like a whole restaurant of potatoes.

Speaker 1:

So when you're done you can go get a potato.

Speaker 3:

You can go get a potato.

Speaker 1:

That's awesome. So that's May 7th at 630 at the Eastwood Events Center, yep, and it's free parking. Yes, and you get to have a great old time. How long does it last?

Speaker 3:

About an hour and a half.

Speaker 1:

Oh, that's good. 90 minutes like a movie.

Speaker 3:

Now here's the thing you cannot just show up that day and say I want to walk, I want to walk. No, you have to email me ahead of time.

Speaker 2:

Yes, send me an email. Okay, but we're getting down to the wire, so listen to this and send me an email right away. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1:

Perfect yeah.

Speaker 2:

And what's the email again? Jmfrank at ysuedu. Jmfrank.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, at ysuedu okay all right, you know what it's time for rapid fire the unexpected part of the show because we

Speaker 2:

did not prepare her for this.

Speaker 3:

Okay, shout out one of your best mentors oh, it's easy, jessica alpert.

Speaker 2:

I did my internship with her handbag company in new york and we are just still close to this day. I learned how to to be a mentor. I learned so much more than just fashion from her.

Speaker 3:

That's beautiful, that's a beautiful shout out, yeah, wow.

Speaker 1:

That's easy yeah.

Speaker 3:

Coke or Pepsi.

Speaker 1:

Let's jump around just a little bit, let's show.

Speaker 2:

I know right. I'm currently on a Coke Zero kick, even though the doctor yells at me oh man.

Speaker 3:

Okay, it tastes good, right, I think I know the answer to this. But West Coast or East Coast, east Coast, east Coast, all the way, huh.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

All right. What book are you currently reading, or one of your favorite books?

Speaker 2:

Ooh, I'm currently reading a new book about the designer Karl Lagerfeld, and favorite book is a tough one because I'm a reader so I'm not sure it's hard to actually pick a favorite yeah, I have a question.

Speaker 1:

It's not really in rapid fire thing, but I do have a question. There's louis vuitton, there's gucci, there's versace, there's armani. What is the american brand that's like that? Why don't we have?

Speaker 2:

one do. We have a lot of high-end American brands. They're just more known by the designer name. Like Marc Jacobs, that's a New York based brand. Tom Ford is an American based designer. I've never heard of him.

Speaker 3:

Wait, Tom Ford, what's he designed?

Speaker 2:

Ladies clothes and men clothes.

Speaker 1:

Really, because you know everything. Because of the tariffs, everything's going through the roof from overseas. Well, a lot of them they produce overseas.

Speaker 2:

They're based here in the united states, but production is unfortunately new york city fashion houses and might pop up in new york city again yeah all that awesome stuff. That would be amazing. That would be great. Revitalize the garment center that would be great. Yes, Okay.

Speaker 3:

Okay.

Speaker 1:

Mountains or beach.

Speaker 3:

Beach.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 3:

Yes, Okay, North like Alaska on vacation or South like South America on vacation. South America Hot.

Speaker 2:

Wherever it's hot and I can get in a beach. Okay, yeah.

Speaker 3:

Okay, do you speak Italian?

Speaker 2:

No, okay, do you speak Italian? No, no, I wish I did. I took it in high school and it was my favorite class actually in high school. But if you don't learn it and continue to speak it repeatedly, you lose it.

Speaker 3:

That's true, all right, fine, I have never asked this question before. That's why the Tesla robots.

Speaker 1:

When they come out, they'll be able to speak to you and talk to you, and that's how you'll learn fast. Oh, my think about that, or you can also probably you know, I have a feeling, you can train chat gpt to do that, I bet you.

Speaker 3:

Here's the crazy thing, though, is like, when we get to that point, is it really going to be like now we've achieved, or happy, or is it just going to be?

Speaker 1:

no, I think this is basically this is what I heard. Google gave us information. Okay, chat, gpt or loms. They're not. It's not ai, it really isn't. It's just a slang, it's large language models gave us knowledge. Okay, you're never going to replace human interaction, just you're not yeah so having a high eq, which is emotional quotient yeah having.

Speaker 3:

That is extremely important and I don't feel like schools or parents a lot of times massively are treating their kids that. So if you teach your kids EQ, you're setting them up for success.

Speaker 1:

Oh, yeah, yeah, but yeah, that's another two-hour show.

Speaker 3:

Real quick. Last question Would you rather go on a sightseeing tour to see whales or dolphins? I know right. Wow, I'm hoping to see both.

Speaker 2:

Stop, I'm hoping to see both thank you so much again, and just plug this show one more everybody. Fashion show, may 7th. Eastwood event center doors open at 5 30. Show starts at 6 30. It's the place to be awesome.