You may have previously encountered the talented plus size designer Candace Frank during our Curvy Bosses series, where we engaged in an insightful conversation with this remarkable dressmaker to spotlight her earlier venture, Bawdy Love Clothing. In case you’re unaware, Frank co-founded this highly successful brand in collaboration with fellow designer Gwynedh Van Allan back in 2017. This initiative was born from a desire to offer full-figured bodies empowering lingerie that celebrates being sexy at any size.

Together, Frank and Allan boldly crafted pieces that allowed voluptuous women to embrace their confidence, all while promoting the principles of #bodypositivity infused with a touch of chic authenticity. What initially started as a youthful passion for fashion evolved into a lucrative business venture. During our interview with the dynamic duo, Frank reminisced, “As teenagers, we both learned how to create clothing because we wanted garments that fit our sizes.”

Frank articulated her vision for the brand, aiming to challenge societal norms and transform the fashion landscape for women who fall on the larger side of the spectrum. She emphasized, “Much of the beauty and fashion industry is built on making us feel inadequate, prompting us to spend money to remedy that. Our mission is to celebrate every body and foster true inclusivity. This journey is about helping you recognize that you are sexy just as you are.”

Regrettably, in October 2022, Frank took to Instagram to announce the closure of Bawdy Love Clothing. It became evident that the brand faced several challenges throughout the year, leading to its unexpected shutdown. She poignantly shared in the post accompanying a photo of their official logo: “I’ve dedicated the past few months to navigate the course for Bawdy Love after encountering numerous significant and surprising changes earlier this year. I am saddened to announce that I have reached a dead end and must close Bawdy Love for the foreseeable future starting today.”

Discovering the Creation Journey of Chub Rub Clothing by Candace Frank

In the wake of Bawdy Love’s closure, Chub Rub Clothing emerged as a reinvented vision of fat fashion, which Frank would independently helm. She expressed in Bawdy Love’s farewell message, “I eagerly anticipate launching a new brand that is entirely my own: Chub Rub Clothing. It’s dramatically soft yet carries a tough edge; it embodies a fun, playful, and colorful celebration of fat bodies.” Frank optimistically concluded, “Instead of viewing this as a loss, consider it a metamorphosis. Witness as I envelop Bawdy Love in this cocoon and metamorphose it into something equally beautiful in dynamic and thrilling ways.”

It’s evident that Frank has accomplished just that. With her entrepreneurial spirit and creative vision, she has ignited a complete renaissance for chubby girls worldwide. Months after the launch of Chub Rub Clothing, she enthusiastically introduced herself in a video, stating, “Allow me to reintroduce myself… I’m Candace. I’m an artist, a business owner, a designer, a creator, and a revolutionary. I utilize my body to create art, and I leverage my art to foster self-love within you.”

Discussing her primary motivation behind this innovative venture, Frank elaborated, “I’m establishing a brand where your softness, your fatness, and your authenticity can be expressed and celebrated, and I’m doing this because this is the world I wish to inhabit. I’m committed to creating a world that we all deserve.”

On February 22, 2023, Chub Rub Clothing officially made its debut, showcasing a diverse range of sultry and liberating sets designed for individuals whose ultimate desire is to live boldly, beautifully, and unequivocally… badaxx. Frank has masterfully sewn plus size representation into the fabric of modern media, cultivating a vibrant community that champions fat freedom with each collection. As if she hadn’t already inspired many to move fearlessly with their bodies, the Seattle-based entrepreneur demonstrated that curvy, queer girls are significant, too. Both within and outside the realms of societal expectations.

With joy and pride, Frank meticulously crafted each design with love across the entire spectrum—regardless of how it might appear to others. Whether it’s through a belly that hangs, a back that rolls, or skin adorned with marks of resilience, she has held up a mirror for those who have long feared confronting their own image, encouraging us all to embrace the person we see reflected back at us.

“Chub Rub is a celebration of all the beautiful aspects of ourselves that we are repeatedly told to conceal,” declares the online presence for Chub Rub Clothing. “Chub Rub aims to help you revel in all the unique stories that your bumps, wrinkles, and folds carry.”

However, while Frank’s expanding empire for voluptuous individuals has become the go-to destination for an array of clothing options—including dresses, graphic tees, crop tops, leggings, skirts, swimwear, and even lingerie—shoppers can also delight in a selection of unique accessories. Beyond fabulous fabrics, Chub Rub Clothing offers an assortment of statement jewelry, buttons/pins, stickers, art prints, postcards, and even their own Fat Joy Potion for those who appreciate delightful, uplifting scents!

Three years later, Frank remains committed to reshaping the narrative for curvy individuals in 2025, one awe-inspiring creation at a time. Whether she’s crafting her next bestseller, serving as a key figure at Fat Con, or showcasing her work at the Seattle Fat Mall (a collaborative space with Curvy Cactus), this multifaceted powerhouse serves as a beacon of inspiration for everyone.

Stay connected with Chub Rub Clothing online:

Instagram: @chubrubclothing

Website: www.chubrubclothing.com