Denise Mercedes

Denise Mercedes was born on October 23, 1991, in Jersey City, New Jersey, of Dominican descent. Her career in modeling began at the age of 13 when she worked as a receptionist at a photography studio. This early exposure allowed her to practice posing for the camera, which developed into a hobby. Despite challenges in securing agency representation due to industry height standards for models, she continued to pursue modeling opportunities.

At 21, Mercedes, who wore sizes 12-14, recognized a gap in the fashion industry for plus-size women. As a full-time college student, she launched a fashion blog focused on styling and sharing outfits for this demographic. Her blog quickly gained a social media following, leading to collaborations with various plus-size boutiques and stores. These partnerships provided her an entry point into the professional modeling world. By 2017, Mercedes launched the #becauseitsmybody campaign, a collaborative photography movement aimed at promoting body positivity and celebrating all body types through submitted photographs.

Mercedes has collaborated with notable brands such as Forever 21, Target, JCPenney, and Rue21. She has also worked with smaller body-positive online retailers like Feminine Funk and Curvy Girl Fever. In addition to her modeling and influencer work, she has developed her own clothing line with Rebdolls and has undertaken fashion collaborations with Abercrombie and Macy’s, including an exclusive Jenni collection in 2021. Mercedes continues to advocate for inclusive fashion, with ambitions to be featured on magazine covers and billboards.