Welcome back to The Curvy Fashionista’s Plus Influencer Spotlight, our weekly celebration of the creators shaping the future of plus size fashion, culture, and confidence. This series is all about honoring the influencers who show up authentically, challenge beauty standards, and use their platforms to amplify inclusivity in bold, beautiful ways.
Last week, we shined the spotlight on Kat Freeman, the pageant queen, heart attack survivor, and homelessness advocate who’s proving that fashion and purpose can walk hand in hand. This week, we’re turning up the volume, literally, with Ebony Martin (@theebonymartin), a Houston-based creative whose love for music and fashion strikes all the right notes.
Why This Series Matters
Did you know that plus size fashion influencers often generate higher engagement rates than many traditional fashion creators? According to Influencer Hero, many top plus size influencers in the U.S. consistently average engagement rates above 2%, proving that audiences are actively tuning in and showing up for size-inclusive content.
And it’s not just the big names… data from The Social Cat reveals that nano and micro influencers, which many plus size creators fall under, drive the highest engagement across all categories, with rates around 2.71% for nano and 1.81% for micro influencers. Translation? Plus size creators aren’t just being seen… they’re being celebrated.
Creators like Ebony are why this space is thriving. She’s building visibility, representation, and a community grounded in joy and self-expression.
Meet Ebony Martin: A Voice That Inspires… On Stage and Online
Ebony’s journey as a creator began with something most of us can relate to, a moment of burnout. As a professional opera singer, she found herself seeking an outlet for creativity that felt freer and more personal. What started as casual posts celebrating music, fashion, and fun quickly evolved into a movement of authenticity and self-expression.
“I started sharing my love for music, fashion, and creativity online at a time when I was feeling burnt out in the opera industry,” Ebony shares. “What began as a fun outlet has grown into a space where I can tell my story, connect with others, and build a community that celebrates individuality and authenticity.”
Now, Ebony’s page is a symphony of bold fashion choices, body liberation, and radical honesty about navigating antifatness and accessibility in creative industries.
“I realized my content was making an impact when people related to the struggles I highlight, like antifatness and lack of accessibility, while also finding inspiration in fashion from someone who looks like them,” she says. “It showed me the power of showing up as myself fully.”
Style in Every Key
When it comes to style, Ebony Martin describes her look as fun, varied, and authentic, and that’s exactly what she delivers. Her outfits are a celebration of her influences: her grandmothers’ feminine flair and the bold, rhythmic confidence of Hip Hop culture.
She’s not afraid to play with proportion, show a little skin, or break a few rules in the name of self-love. “I love a crop and a cut out!” she laughs. “I just love showing skin in fun ways, so any piece that gives me the opportunity to do that, I instantly feel more confident.”
For Ebony, clothing is about creativity, not constraint. “If possible, I like to size up in a lot of my clothing so I can style my pieces easily in a variety of ways,” she shares. Her personal style motto? Comfort, versatility, and confidence, always.
And don’t get her started on vanity sizing: “I hate squeezing into clothes to fit vanity numbers regardless of if it has stretch. If you don’t want to hold my size, then you don’t want to hold my money.”
That energy? We love to see it.
Using Fashion as a Mic
Ebony’s platform isn’t just about showcasing outfits, it’s about amplifying conversations. Through her content, she calls out the lack of true inclusivity in fashion while highlighting brands that get it right.
“I use my platform to challenge beauty standards by sharing my size unafraid when reviewing and highlighting brands that showcase true size inclusivity, often above a 3X,” she says. “I aim to make fashion accessible, celebrate all bodies, and push the conversation toward a more inclusive, unapologetic industry.”
And when she’s not pushing for change in fashion? She’s doing it through music.
Ebony Martin and her husband co-founded Music Lives, a nonprofit built over the last five years that’s now wrapping up its “Spirituals With Friends” concert tour. Their final show is in Chicago at Grace Episcopal Church, Oak Park, and yes, it’s completely free. “We’re finishing our last concert of the tour and already planning a new one for next year,” she shares. “I’m also working on my first partnership with Music Lives, so fingers crossed that it pulls through!”
Influence With Intention
When asked how she defines influence, Ebony Martin doesn’t hesitate: “Influence is how you shake people’s worldview. If you’re not making people second guess something, you’re not influencing anyone.”
Her impact lies in her ability to make people feel seen. Through her work, she reminds her followers that people who look like her live full, fun, and free lives and no one else gets to define their worth.
“How people view you doesn’t have to define you or your happiness,” Ebony says. “At the end of the day, when people are trying to make you feel bad about yourself, remember they don’t pay your bills, so their opinion doesn’t matter.”
Want to Be Featured?
The Plus Influencer Spotlight celebrates the creators reshaping the fashion landscape, those using their voices, style, and influence to spark change.
If you or someone you know is a plus size influencer making waves, we want to hear from you! Apply to be featured right here:
Let’s keep the spotlight shining on the voices that move the culture forward… one fierce look at a time.
