At the top of 2022, actress Danielle Brooks, most well-known for her roles in Orange Is The New Black and The Color Purple, dazzled the internet with her very fashionable wedding. Her wedding photos instantly went viral, and many were eager to discover the designer behind her stunning dress. After showing the girls how to master bridal fashion, Brooks is back with her next fashion move. The award-winning actress has most recently teamed up with the luxury plus-sized fashion brand 11 Honoré to co-create a special capsule collection.
“For me, fashion is a trend, and style is personal. It’s a reflection of who we are,” Brooks tells ESSENCE. “With this collection, I wanted to honor the women who have influenced who I’ve become by naming pieces after them: my mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and daughter.
Altogether, Brooks worked closely with her stylist, Kelly Augustine, and 11 Honoré’s lead designer, Danielle Williams Eke, to create a collection that pushed the boundaries of what we’re used to being offered in the plus-sized fashion category. “I want women to feel sexy, comfortable, and tasteful while rocking these looks,” says Brooks.
The Danielle Brooks collection includes playful designs, tasteful prints, and garments that were constructed with cuts and silhouettes to hug in all of the right places and embrace the curves of every woman. “I was most inspired by Danielle Brooks’ love and participation in fashion,” says Eke. “She is a style icon in her own right and has been a reference point for many of the emerging plus-size women within the industry and beyond.”
After seeing the capsule collection, it’s apparent that while creating it, the collaborative team ensured that the offering reflected fashion-forward looks that Brooks wears herself. Although every woman may not have a stylist or access to create custom ensembles, the Danielle Brooks collection offers a new era of innovative, inclusive fashion at an accessible price point.
“I knew I wanted to make versatile pieces that could take you from day to night,” Brooks shares. “I also wanted to have pieces that were low-cut in the front and low-cut in the back. A lot of times, when plus-size women are given these options, these cuts are too low or too wide. We really thought about how far we could push it without losing the sophistication of the garment.”
Eke adds, “We definitely pushed the boundaries of sexy within the collection, and I have to credit Danielle Brooks for that. She was very adamant about not simply creating the ‘plus size version’ of styles, but to give the same styles and trends that are found in standard sizes.”
The Danielle Brooks Capsule Collection by 11 Honoré is available for purchase now on 11honore.com and dia.com – prices range from $130 to $300, with sizes ranging from 12 to 26.