Deb Malkin, creator of the vintage/resale boutique Re/Dress NYC (for sizes 14 and above, 8 and above in vintage clothing) spent much of her young adult life dieting and wishing she had a smaller body. The Re/Dress store in Cobble Hill is the fruition of Malkin’s activism and fashion sense. “I started working with a fat activist group called Nolose (National Organization of Lesbians of Size) creating and supporting activism and fat queer culture. We created a rummage sale called The Fat Girl Flea Market to raise money. I saw that there was not only a niche to be filled but a great opportunity to change the landscape for plus size women to experience shopping in a new way. I sought to create the kind of boutique I always wanted to shop in.” Malkin’s long-term goal is to open Re/Dress stores all over the country “and to help all women see their inherent beauty.” – KW