Dani DMC

Dani is the ultimate girls’ girl, known for her magnetic presence and inspiring message that captivates audiences everywhere. Based in Los Angeles, she is a renowned plus-size model and confidence advocate, using her platform to ensure everyone feels confident in their skin and becomes the best version of themselves. With a unique talent for storytelling, Dani’s content ranges from engaging GRWMs and vlogs to dynamic Woman on the Street interviews, each piece resonating deeply with her followers. Her journey and passion for empowerment make her a true force to be reckoned with, and her story is one worth exploring.

What inspired you to become a plus-size model and confidence advocate? Was there a pivotal moment that shaped your journey?

Looking back now, it’s so easy to see that my whole life prepared me for where I am today. It’s very evident that I’m living my purpose and this was the path I was meant to walk. I struggled a lot growing up in a larger body and I was bullied for the majority of my childhood. I remember feeling misunderstood and underrepresented and confused as to why people saw something wrong with me. I think I naturally had confidence. Throughout my life, the world tried to strip me of that confidence time after time, but I never gave up or accepted defeat. I’ve never been interested in the path of least resistance and was up for the challenge of being different. I began my career with that same energy. I wanted to take up space and show a different version of the average plus-size girl’s story than what we’ve been told.

Your story-telling style is incredibly engaging and unique. How do you come up with ideas for your GRWMs, vlogs, and Woman on the Street interviews?

First, thank you! That is one of the best compliments you can give me. I really do have to thank my creative brain for this one. I was always a bit hard on myself for not being great at school and struggling in high school and college, but it all makes sense now. I have a very creative mind and I can come up with concepts so easily. I’m always thinking outside of the box and how I can come up with ways to inspire my community and keep my content fresh. I like to think from the standpoint of a consumer as well. If I was a follower of mine (or not), what would I need to see? What would I want to wear? What would uplift me? I find myself thinking like this for my friends as well. I’m always surrounded by other creatives and we bounce ideas off of each other a lot, which I love. If you asked me to solve a math equation, maybe not. Ask for content ideas or to strategize for business, I’m your girl.

What challenges have you faced in the modelling industry, and how have you overcome them while staying true to your mission of promoting confidence and self-love?

The modelling and fashion industries have always had and continue to have so many deep-rooted issues. I realized early on in my career that being a part of the modeling industry meant compromising myself and my personal beliefs at times and that didn’t sit right with me. As I’ve developed my career more, I’ve definitely stepped back from modelling, unless I truly know the intention, vision, and morale of the company I’m shooting with. Early on in my career, I worked with many brands that would edit and retouch my body (without my consent) in ways that made me uncomfortable and felt like it was playing into the societal ideals that I fight against every day. I am a plus-size woman, but each one of us is unique and individual. We do not all have the same body shape or type. I get so frustrated that the modelling industry only wants to show one version of the plus-size body – hourglass, no cellulite, extremely toned, etc. Young girls and women deserve to see themselves in all shapes and forms. That being said, I feel like I can remain true to myself and make more of an impact by creating authentic, non-monitored content (besides when apps delete your content for sexually explicit content because you’re a larger woman) and using my voice, rather than standing in front of a camera and not knowing how the images will be changed or what narrative they’re fulfilling.

You’ve created such a strong and supportive community online. How do you maintain genuine connections with your followers and ensure your content remains authentic and impactful?

I’m so grateful to have been able to create and maintain this beautiful community. I don’t take it for granted for a moment. I think it comes naturally to me for a couple of reasons. The first being that as a kid I felt so alone and like no one truly understood or saw me. I would’ve killed for a community where I felt safe, uplifted, and inspired. I created that and lead with that vision in everything I do. I also am a naturally very authentic person – I say it how it is and I am nothing other than who I genuinely am. I love to spread love. I would say before I earned followers, I was influencing those around me in my day-to-day life. It came naturally to me to persuade those around me to love themselves and stand out and accept being different. I think because of those two things, I’m able to create content that is engaging and oftentimes what my community (new or old) needs to see, hear, or feel.

Can you share a particularly memorable moment or feedback from one of your followers that reaffirmed your purpose and passion for what you do?

This is honestly the most rewarding part of my job, being able to connect with like-minded women from my community. Some of my favourite memories have been meeting supporters in person. I’ve had the absolute honour of meeting supporters all over the world – Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Costa Rica, Chicago, NYC, Detroit, LA, and even the small town my family is from in Italy. I will never get over women from all over the world coming up to me and telling me how I’ve impacted them. I swear it heals my inner child bit by bit! Every encounter, whether in person or online! I have some women I’ve been speaking to online since the beginning of my career in 2017, that I’ve met up with IRL when I visit the cities they’re from. It’s always such a rewarding experience. I know in this day and age, many people want to be an influencer. They want fame and clout. They want to be “known.” I would take the depth I have with my community and the beautiful impact I’ve been able to have on their individual lives and well-being over just simply being ‘known’ or having fame any day.

In an industry that often focuses on unrealistic beauty standards, how do you stay motivated and continue to advocate for body positivity and inclusivity?

It’s so interesting to me that when we’re growing up, being different and standing out is something we’re meant to be ashamed of because that is absolutely one of my favourite characteristics about myself. I love standing out and going against the status quo. I always aim to think for myself and strive to question everything before I decide if I want to be a part of it . That being said, I’ve known that this industry and society have been messed up since the beginning of time. I can let that get to me or avoid it, or I can dive in head first and make a change. The latter is what I’ve chosen long before social media was around. I will continue to do so even if it were to disappear tomorrow. I know without a doubt that I was put on this earth to make a difference and often am reminded that my message and what I stand for are bigger than just me. I’m simply the vessel that was put here to spread the message and be a part of the movement towards change.

What advice would you give to someone struggling with self-confidence and body image issues, especially in the age of social media?

I think being super intentional with who you follow and what you’re consuming on social media is SO important. I encourage social media and IRL cleanses, detoxes, and breaks. I think the best thing we can do for ourselves is to get comfortable being alone and shying away from outside acceptance and validation. The more comfortable you are with yourself, the more you start to trust your intuition and gain confidence and clarity that you can’t gain when you’re constantly clouded with outside opinions and judgements. I always encourage people to work on building an impenetrable bubble around themselves. People will always have their opinions, judgments, and thoughts on you, but if you protect yourself by building your confidence and self-acceptance, the outside noise starts to become quieter and quieter. Until eventually you get where I am and your impenetrable bubble is bulletproof and nothing can get in.

For body image, I always encourage people to incorporate a solid self-care routine. This can look different for everyone, but each day you should be doing one thing that is a part of your self-care routine or gives back to you and your body. We need to connect with our bodies and not avoid looking at, touching, or acknowledging them. In order to have a solid self-care routine, you need to be prioritizing your mind, body, and spirit. None of them can afford to be neglected.

Your Woman on the Street interviews is a fan favourite. What’s the most interesting or surprising response you’ve received during one of these segments?

I’m so glad it’s had such an amazing response because I get so much joy from my “Style With Strangers” series. I love being able to connect with people from all walks of life and talk about fashion, confidence, and life. I can honestly remember pretty much every interview I’ve done because they all impacted me so much. One of the most memorable was with a man I met who had recently lost his wife. I stopped him because I loved his outfit and our conversation went in a completely different direction and had so much depth. He ended up telling me half of his outfit consisted of pieces that belonged to or reminded him of his wife and the other half was of his dad who he had also lost. His story was so compelling that mid-conversation I looked over and my friend who was filming had tears streaming down her face.

Another conversation I really enjoyed was with two 20-something men I stopped in LA. We talked about dating and their thoughts on plus-size women feeling insecure because of men’s standards and judgements. I asked them what would they say to a plus-size girl who felt insecure about speaking to them for fear that they wouldn’t like her, their response was to GO FOR IT, which I loved. It was so refreshing and even a little healing as a bigger person who was often told she wasn’t lovable or attractive because of her body. I know this really hit home for a lot of my followers.

As a content creator, model, and advocate, you wear many hats. How do you balance these roles while ensuring you take care of your mental and physical well-being?

After I really established my career and things were really talking off the end of 2019- beginning 2021, I really struggled with being a severe workaholic. What is difficult for me is that I’m so passionate about what I do, on top of being self-employed, and making a successful living off of a career. I never in a million years thought I would be this profitable. All of these together can be a recipe for disaster if you don’t have balance. I learned this the hard way and was overworking myself to the point of burning out. Not only that, but it actually led to horrible anxiety and panic attacks. I was forced to take a step back and reanalyze what I was doing and what would be feasible for me in the long term. I’ve now created such a better work/life balance, but it was definitely a lot of trial and error. I love what I do, but I’m also so aware now that I can’t be successful at what I do if I’m not taking care of my mental health and giving myself breaks. This job takes so much out of me because it’s coming from me in my purest and most authentic form.

What’s next for you, Dani? Are there any upcoming projects or goals you’re excited to share with your fans and our readers?

There’s always something next coming for me, haha. I’m definitely a forward thinker and I’m always doing my best to make the world a better place for all of us that are deemed “different” according to society. I have fresh content always flowing in on Instagram (@danidmc), TikTok (@itsdanidmc), Snapchat (@itsdanidmc), Facebook & YouTube (Dani DMC). I am also working on adding my own footprint to the fashion industry! Stay tuned!

Dani’s Holiday Rules

What are your top three must-have beauty products for travel?

Intraceutricals under eye patches, Image lip complex, Image Hydrogel Sheet Masks.

Do you have any packing hacks for fitting everything into a carry-on?

I am not the right person to ask this question to. I am by no means a carry-on girly haha. I am a checked bag girly for life. When you are in a love affair with fashion the way I am it’s checked bags or nothing.

Which travel-friendly skincare brands do you swear by?

Image Skincare, Artisan of Skin, Jan Marini. To me, the quality of my skincare products is more important than if they’re travel-friendly. I typically depot all of my products into Cadence Travel Containers.

What’s the most luxurious hotel you’ve stayed at, and what made it special?

The Belmond Taormina in Sicily, Italy. One of the most breathtaking rooms with a view that I’ve ever had. It had a private terrace that was absolutely stunning. Italy is one of my favourite travel destinations in the world and this was my first time in both Taormina & Italy.

Any favourite travel accessories that you never leave home without?

Accessories to me are how you truly add a personal statement to your outfit so I always make room in my suitcase for different purses, sneakers, and jewellery.

What’s your secret to staying organized while on the go?

Packing cubes & packing smart + immediately unpacking. I like to get organized upon arrival so it’s easier to stay organized throughout the trip.

Which destination has the best shopping spots for plus-size fashion?

Honestly, nowhere. In-person plus-size fashion is and always has been a dead art. However, if you’ve been plus size your whole life like me you know that being fashionable requires a lot of creativity and searching. If you’re down for that my favorite spot is Brick Lane Vintage Market in East London. One of the best thrifting experiences and I have luck and end up making a purchase every time I go.

What’s your favourite way to unwind after a long travel day?

A nice hot bubble bath, followed by an intense skincare routine. Sushi takeout/ Room service and a cozy movie or show.!

Do you have a preferred airline for long-haul flights and why?

Delta is typically my favourite airline! I feel like it’s the most reliable and comfortable compared to other airlines. However, they don’t fly everywhere overseas, so I do have to switch it up from time to time. I do enjoy trying new international airlines though and definitely want tick take Emirates business class to Dubai off my bucket list one day.