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Emme: True beauty
a supermodel of single-name
, fame, Emme has proved to
the world that full-figured
women are every bit as gorgeous and
sexy as their slimmer sisters. She's also
a TV host, has her own fashion line
and co-authored True Beauty: Positive
Attitudes and Practical Tips From the
World's Leading Plus-Size Model. We
caught up with Emme in her New
York office when she was seven
months pregnant with her first child.
Fit Pregnancy:
You're still work-
ing on 47 pro-
jects at once. Why aren't you exhausted?
Emme: Actually, I am tired. Normally
I'm like the Energizer bunny. Now I'll
say, "I need to lie down for 15 min-
utes" and wake up three hours later,
drooling. It was worse during my first
trimester. My husband is my manager
and he was always saying, "Uh, sorry,
she can't make that appointment."
" ... she's busy drooling right now."
You're famous for helping women get
comfortable with their bodies. Has your
body image changed with pregnancy?
I thought I'd freak out because I'd had
such a distorted body image as a kid. I
normally weigh 190 to 200. Now I'm
heavier than I've ever been but instead
of freaking out, I've been blown away
by the miracle of a woman's body
doing what it's designed to do.
Any morning sickness?
More like motion sickness. Every time
my boobs moved, I had to lie down.
Have you designed any great maternity
wear for yourself?
Not really - I've mostly just gone up
a size in my regular line. Danskin has
great black velour pants. On top, I
wear knitwear or jersey from my
sportswear line and let it cling to my
belly. And I wear some of my tight
dresses with low-slung rhinestone
belts. I'm not into hiding.
No tents.
No tents. Actually, the best thing was
finding thong underwear. Mimi Mater-
nity has one that fits perfectly. I also
wear a very sexy nightgown - lace
with Lycra - it makes me feel curva-
ceous. It's much more fun than what I
normally wear, which is a T-shirt or
men's pajamas or nothing. In my last
trimester, I wanted something sexy and
fun. Gotta keep that love alive.
How will you juggle work and a baby?
I've already pulled back some. There
were TV projects offered that I
would've loved to do. But we've waited
a long time for this pregnancy. I've had
some miscarriages, and I'm 37. I'll be
making adjustments, and people are
going to have to understand ...
The baby comes first.
Yep. The baby comes first.