IN CONVERSATION WITH JADE FIONA
interview by JANA LETONJA
Jade Fiona, better known to her 1.2 million followers as JADEYBIRD, is redefining what fashion influence looks like. The Los Angeles–based creator, model, and body inclusivity advocate has become a leading voice in mid-size fashion, blending trend-forward styling with candid conversations about cellulite, stretch marks, and the realities of dressing a body that exists outside traditional sample sizes. Fresh off the release of her debut capsule collection, Jadeyland, with Lonely Ghost, and a standout appearance in Adore Me’s NYFW runway show, Jade is bridging digital authenticity with industry credibility. A proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, she’s also amplifying queer visibility through her viral ‘Styling My Girlfriend’ series, proving that style can be joyful, inclusive, and unapologetically personal.
You’ve built a community of over 1.2 million followers. What do you think resonates most in your content?
The intention behind it. I’ve always posted because I genuinely love creating. It was never about chasing followers or views. My goal has always been to put energy into the world that makes people feel a little more confident in themselves, and I think it translated through the screen. I’m also really mindful about not creating when I’m not in the right headspace. If I’m not feeling it that day, I don’t film. I’d rather take a step back than put something out that feels like a performance or a facade. Social media is already such a curated space, so I try to keep mine as honest as possible within that. I think people appreciate seeing someone show up as themselves instead of trying to present a perfectly packaged version of who they think they’re supposed to be.
Another big part of it is representation. A lot of people grew up never seeing bodies like theirs celebrated or even acknowledged in media. For so long the message has been that you have to be smaller, quieter, or less of yourself to be accepted, so when someone shows up fully loving and accepting themselves unapologetically, it can create a domino effect. At the end of the day, I’ve always wanted my page to feel like a safe space. Somewhere people can come when they need a little reminder that they’re allowed to take up space, feel good in their body, and exist without constantly trying to shrink themselves. If someone leaves my page feeling even a little bit more confident than when they arrived, then I feel like I’ve done what I set out to do.
Mid-size fashion still feels underrepresented. Why was it important for you to claim that space?
I grew up with zero representation. Everyone I saw on TV or in magazines was always really small and petite, and when that’s the only thing you’re shown over and over again, you start to resent it. As a teenager, it made me feel like my body was a problem I had to solve instead of just letting myself exist. When I first started posting about my midsize outfits, I didn’t think of it as anything groundbreaking. I was just sharing what I wore and how I styled things on my body. But when I started reading the comments and messages from people saying they finally felt seen, something immediately clicked for me.
There’s something really powerful about realizing that your biggest insecurities can actually become the thing that helps someone feel less alone, and it shifted my perspective completely. Instead of trying to fit into an image that was never designed for me in the first place, I started leaning into who I already was. And the more I did that, the more it resonated with people.
Your ‘Midsize OOTDs’ openly address body taboos like cellulite and stretch marks. How did you find the confidence to speak so honestly?
One thing that always stood out to me was how often people would say or comment, “You’re so brave” and it honestly confused me because in my mind, I wasn’t doing anything heroic. I was just existing in my body and choosing to celebrate it instead of hide it. The fact that simply showing cellulite, stretch marks, or rolls is considered brave really says a lot about the beauty standards and diet culture so many of us were raised around.
For a long time we were taught that those things were flaws we needed to fix or hide, when in reality they’re just normal parts of having a human body. So when I started posting my midsize OOTDs and my outfit photos and not editing those things out, it wasn’t meant to be some big statement. I just didn’t feel the need to pretend they didn’t exist. My goal is for it to eventually not be a conversation at all. I want to get to a point where a girl can exist in a bigger body, show her rolls, cellulite, or stretch marks, and it’s not labeled as brave, just normal.
What does body inclusivity mean to you beyond a hashtag?
Body inclusivity and acceptance go way deeper than just the outfit you wear or the confidence you portray. The real work happens in the everyday moments when no one else is around. For me, it’s about learning to catch yourself when that doubt or negative self-talk creeps in. Body inclusivity means pausing in those moments and consciously shifting the narrative. Not pretending you love everything about yourself every second, but choosing not to tear yourself down. It’s also about extending that same mindset to the people around you. The way we talk about our own bodies and other people’s bodies creates the environment we all exist in.
Tell us about Jadeyland. What inspired your first capsule collection with Lonely Ghost?
I created Jadeyland as a way to name my online community because over time, it stopped feeling like followers on a screen and more like a shared friendship and a space where people come to hype each other up and feel good about themselves. In my mind, Jadeyland is a place where you can be unapologetically yourself and show up exactly as you are without worrying about being judged or picked apart. It’s this bright, expressive world where it feels like individuality is the main goal. So when Lonely Ghost approached me about putting my spin on their iconic Camo hoodies, that’s immediately the energy I knew I wanted to channel with this collaboration. I kept thinking about how to translate the feeling of Jadeyland into something you could actually wear. I didn’t want it to be subtle or watered down, I wanted it to feel loud, unexpected, and adored by other maximalists. Something that pushes the boundary in size inclusive fashion and makes other brands finally question why they’re not doing the same.
Designing versus styling, how did the creative process differ for you?
With styling, everything is hands-on and tangible. You can see the pieces, touch the fabrics, try different combinations, and pretty quickly get a sense of what works and what doesn’t. Designing is a whole different ball game because it starts with something that only exists in your head. You have an idea or a feeling you’re trying to capture, and then you have to figure out how to translate that into something real that actually lives up to the vision you built in your mind. Sometimes that part can be challenging, because what you imagine and what’s possible in real life don’t always line up perfectly. It definitely taught me to be more open-minded and collaborative. You have to be receptive to feedback and adjustments along the way to make the final product the best it can be. But nothing could have prepared me for how rewarding it feels to see someone actually wearing something you helped create. Watching an idea go from your imagination to a real piece of clothing that people connect with has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.
Walking in Adore Me’s NYFW runway show marked a major moment. How did that feel?
It was honestly surreal. Walking in a runway show during New York Fashion Week, let alone in lingerie, was something I genuinely never imagined would be possible for me. Spaces like that felt so out of reach, so it really did feel like one of those “I made it” moments. More than anything, it shifted my perspective on what’s actually possible. It reminded me that sometimes the only difference between a dream and it becoming reality is being a little delusional about your goals and going for them anyway. You have to be willing to take up space in places that weren’t necessarily built for you. What's meant the most to me was hearing from people afterwards who said that watching me walk the runway and owning my body and looking confident doing it, made them feel differently about their own. I hope it encourages people to stop getting in their own way and letting their fear of not having a perfect body hold them back from living their lives and going after their dreams.
How do you maintain authenticity while working with large fashion corporations?
For me, it really comes down to staying grounded and remembering why I started in the first place. The whole reason people connected with my content was because it felt honest, so the moment I start compromising that, I lose the thing that made it meaningful to begin with. I also think part of maintaining authenticity is not being afraid to say no. If something doesn’t align with my values or doesn’t feel genuine to who I am and the community I’ve built, I’m comfortable walking away from it. There have definitely been times where I’ve turned down deals or money simply because I didn’t genuinely love the clothes, the product, or the brand.
At the end of the day, I never want to be in a position where I’m pretending to like something just to promote it. My audience trusts my opinion, and that trust is worth way more than any partnership. No matter how big the brand is, I’m not going to reshape who I am to fit into their world. If anything, the right collaborations are the ones where they want you exactly as you are.
Your ‘Styling My Girlfriend’ series has become iconic. What inspired that concept?
Fashion is something my girlfriend and I share a mutual love for, so it really didn’t take much convincing to get her to film a styling video with me. Styling someone is genuinely a love language of mine. I love helping someone put together a look that makes them feel confident. It’s also really special to be able to share little pieces of our relationship with my audience in a way that still feels authentic to us. Styling her for events or dates is such a natural way for us to show that side of our relationship without it feeling forced. I think my followers can feel that it’s genuine, and that’s probably why the videos resonates with so many people.
Do you feel the industry is genuinely evolving toward inclusivity, or is there still work to do?
Honestly, sometimes it feels like we’re moving two steps forward and three steps back. There have definitely been moments in the past few years where it felt like the industry was making real progress, but lately there’s also been this very loud push back toward smaller bodies again. I’ve seen so many brands quietly discontinue their extended sizing, and it kind of feels like a slap in the face. But when it feels discouraging, it’s important that we keep pushing the conversation forward and keep showing up. I think the more we continue to demand better, the harder it becomes for them to ignore.
How do you approach trends without losing your own identity?
I try to approach trends with curiosity rather than pressure. Just because something is everywhere doesn’t mean you have to wear it or suddenly change your style to fit into it. I have a pretty strong sense of personal style, and I’m not willing to sacrifice that just for the sake of keeping up with what’s trending, especially if I don’t genuinely love the trend. At the same time, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with experimenting with trends either. Fashion is supposed to be fun, and sometimes the only way to know if you actually like something is to try it. The real test is what happens after the trend dies down a bit. If you’re still reaching for that piece and it still feels like you, then that’s when you know it’s genuinely part of your personal style and not just something you wore because everyone else was.
What advice would you give someone struggling to feel confident in their body?
Fake it till you make it. Tell yourself you look hot and you love your body, even if you don’t believe it yet, one day you’ll notice it won’t feel like a lie anymore. Your mind is way more powerful than you think.
Unfollow people who don’t make you feel good about yourself. Stop hanging out with people who don’t uplift you. You are what you surround yourself with.
Stop seeking validation from other people and start focusing on how you feel about yourself.
Stop getting in your own way by saying “I’ll do it when I lose weight” as if tomorrow is promised. The only thing holding you back from living your dream life is you.
Decenter your body as the most important thing in your life and watch how much better your life gets.
How do you handle criticism in such a visible space?
My biggest trick is learning how to reframe it. I genuinely can’t imagine taking time out of my day to go leave a negative comment on someone else’s post, let alone someone I don’t even know. When you think about it that way, it says a lot more about that person than it does about you. You have to have a lot of negativity in your heart to feel called to do that, and honestly it just makes me feel a little sad for them. Also, if someone is commenting and interacting with my post, even if it’s negative, they’re still pushing it further into the algorithm. In a weird way, they’re helping the video reach more people and creating more opportunities for me. So sometimes I just have to laugh a little at the irony and move forward with grace.
What bothers me more is the thought of someone who follows me, or someone who comes across my video and finally feels seen by a body that looks like theirs, scrolling down and reading people calling me things like a whale. When someone has a similar body type, it’s really easy for them to internalize that and start applying those words to themselves. That’s the part I care about, because I’ve only ever wanted my page to feel like a safe space.
TEAM CREDITS
talent JADE FIONA
photography SSAM KIM
interview JANA LETONJA
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
