Renee Cafaro

Renee Cafaro (born January 14, 1984) is an American media personality, freelance writer, magazine editor, executive producer, fashion designer, body image activist, and philanthropist based in New York City. She is the US editor of SLiNK, a premier plus-size fashion and lifestyle magazine. She is the founder of Renee Cafaro Atelier, a haute couture design house and parent company of the ready-to-wear brand RCA Public Label.
Cafaro is widely recognized for her contributions and work in body positivity, fashion, and size inclusivity. As a writer, she creates articles and blogs on lifestyle, travel, fashion, and body image for various publications, media outlets, and blogs such as DisneyFashionista, The New York Post, and Yahoo! Travel. Cafaro also runs a blog, FoxyRoxyFashion, launched in 2010. She has spoken on many expert panels and has been featured in various outlets, including InStyle, Glamour, and Elite Daily. She aims to inspire women of all sizes to embrace self-love and acceptance, promoting a message that transcends clothing sizes and encourages confidence and empowerment.
She has worked with celebrity designers and models, including Christian Siriano, Beyonce, and Michelle Buteau, and has featured her collections at New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.
==Early life and education==
Cafaro was born in Ohio and raised in the Washington, D.C., Maryland area, where she began high school at a young age and entered Stanford University by 16. Struggling with arthritis, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia since age 11, she faced health challenges during her junior year at Stanford, marked by misdiagnoses and a lack of institutional support, leading her to depart from her education before completing her degree.
==Career==
===Political consultant and fundraiser===
Cafaro started her career as a political consultant and amassed 13 years of experience in city and state politics. She began by contributing to campaigns and research projects at 1199 SEIU and later served as campaign manager and strategist for her sister, Capri Cafaro. In 2006, Cafaro became the youngest senior staff member for then-Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer. In 2013, she played a pivotal role as Deputy Political Director in Stringer's successful campaign for New York City Comptroller, competing notably against former Governor Eliot Spitzer. She also served in the Senior Advisors' Unit within the administration of New York Governor David Paterson in 2008. Her career has encompassed several influential roles, including shaping campaign strategy as Deputy Political Director, orchestrating cultural events as Vice President at the Villa Firenze Foundation, and managing policy projects and crises as Special Assistant to the Secretary in the NY State Executive Chamber.
Cafaro was also involved in political fundraising as consultant and fundraiser for various Democratic campaigns in NYC, Ohio, Texas, and Maryland. 
===Entertainment industry===
Starting in 2008, Cafaro combined her enthusiasm for innovative entertainment content with philanthropy. She initially backed ¡Globaile!, a YouTube-based dance and travel show hosted by Miss Angelina and DJ Tony Touch, which pioneered top-quality indie content on YouTube. Over the years, Cafaro has backed numerous creative projects, including the becoming and executive producer for 2019 webseries Border Patrol and 2022 short film Husky, as well as a supporter of Fischerspooner's live installation at MoMA, Soundstage (by Rob Roth, 2019), and Dust, a short film produced by Adam Dugas, Casey Spooner, and Michael Stipe.
===Blogger and Writer===
In 2010, Cafaro established her blog, FoxyRoxyFashion, where she emerged as a prominent body image activist. Through her blog, she advocated for body positivity, fashion inclusivity, and size diversity, with a focus on fashion tailored for curvy women and plus-size trends. Her platform garnered attention from like-minded individuals who resonated with her message and shared similar body types, creating a supportive community.
Building on her success, Cafaro transitioned into freelance writing, contributing to various blogs, websites, and publications covering politics, lifestyle, fashion, and body image. Her notable works include features in DisneyFashionista, New York Post, The Huffington Post, Medium, Stylist Magazine, and Yahoo! Travel.
In 2016, she assumed the role of US Editor at SLiNK, a London-based plus-size fashion magazine. Her contributions focused on plus-size fashion, body positivity, and anti-bullying, alongside curating fashion-forward content tailored to plus-size women.
Since 2017, Cafaro has actively participated in panels, network affiliate morning shows, and the Stanford Women's Center. She has also contributed to Like a Boss Girls, a platform empowering over 1 million young women. Her expertise has been showcased in national media, including The Tamron Hall Show and The New York Times. She has spoken on expert panels and been featured in publications like InStyle, Glamour, and Elite Daily.
With over 12 years of political strategy experience and her subsequent career transition, Cafaro also contributed to many podcasts including, the Mind of a Mentor podcast, spotlighting inspiring stories to empower women in the workforce.
===RCA Public Label===
In 2020, during the Covid 19 pandemic, Cafaro mobilized fashion professionals via social media to produce PPE, donating 3,000 masks and hospital gowns to NYC hospitals through the Arthritis Foundation regional board. This led her to establish her plus-size fashion label, RCA Public Label.
Renee Cafaro Atelier was established in 2021 as a haute couture design house and parent company of the ready-to-wear brand RCA Public Label, specializing in high-quality, ethically made fashion for sizes 16–32. The debut spring/summer 2022 collection premiered at NYFW on Fifth Avenue in September 2021, drawing inspiration from early 2000s pop icon styles. In March 2023, Renee Cafaro Atelier showcased its plus-size collection at Paris Fashion Week.
Within two years of its inception, the label, under Cafaro's design direction, has created bespoke looks for celebrities, figures, and models at the Oscars, BAFTAs, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductions, and RuPaul's Drag Race UK. Notable clients include Great British Bake Off Host Alison Hammond, BAFTA nominee Carolyn McLeod, actress Bridget Everett, Oscar-winner Melanie Miller, and comedian Michelle Buteau.
==Philanthropy==
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cafaro demonstrated her philanthropic commitment by donating over 3,000 masks and hospital gowns to NYC hospitals through the Arthritis Foundation regional board. Additionally, under the initiative "EATs for EMTs," she raised funds through GoFundMe to facilitate food deliveries from local restaurants to all EMT stations across New York City's five boroughs. Her efforts earned her commendation from the FDNY EMT Union.
Despite challenges, Cafaro dedicated herself to advocacy, becoming the Arthritis Foundation's National Honoree, raising awareness for invisible diseases, and championing the cause of those with invisible disabilities. On Capitol Hill, she engaged in various causes, including her involvement with the Creative Coalition to protect the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) from budgetary cuts and uphold the principles of the First Amendment.
She has raised funds for non-profits and arts groups, including The Arthritis Foundation, The Creative Coalition, and marriage equality advocacy, and supported cultural events like Moby's Amend.org.
==In the media==
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==References==
==External links==
* Personal website
* Company website
* Renee Cafaro on IMDb
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Category:1984 births
Category:American media personalities
Category:American film producers
Category:American fashion designers
Category:American philanthropists