“Berriez is marketed by and for plus-size people…”: BTS Look At Shop Berriez And Their Collab With JRAT

Emma Zack is the definition of making a difference. Every milestone she’s accomplished so far is for others to feel included in participating in vintage and sustainable shopping. It’s important to note that the clothing she curates with her brand Shop Berriez isn’t just plus-sized items but also clothing that will make you feel good; these pieces are fun, flattering, and colorful. What started out as a side hustle soon turned into something much more impactful and fulfilling.

She has a new capsule collection out with none other than designer Janelle R. Abbot. An organic connection was made and a beautiful collection came out of it. Diving into Emma Zack’s world of flea markets, curation, and innovation, we learn the origins of Shop Berriez, her love of vintage clothing, and her new capsule collection.

First off, where are you originally from? How did you get into sustainable fashion/thrifting and upcycling?

I'm from Boston (but I don't identify as being from Boston if ya know what I mean). I discovered vintage clothing through my grandmother, who would have been a modern-day size 12 or 14. She was a style icon, and I used to play dress-up in her clothes. I remember loving their fit, and uniqueness, and knowing I'd be channeling my grandmother's energy each time I wore one of them. I cherish the pieces I still have from her! Wearing her clothing was the gateway into my thrifting obsession, which began when I moved to Los Angeles for college. I realized I had a better chance of finding something at a thrift shop that fit me than at most retail shops.

When did you first start Shop Berriez? What's the story behind that?

I started Berriez (formerly known as Fruity Looms, before I received a cease and desist from Fruit of the Loom), in late 2018. At the time, I was still working at the Innocence Project – I had a career in criminal justice reform prior to starting Berriez – and needed a creative outlet that was unrelated to my day job.

In 2018, I was excited when I discovered I could shop for vintage clothing directly from IG, until I realized I was never able to find anything in my size (at the time, I was a size 12/14; I'm now size 18). Occasionally, I’d find a shop selling something ‘oversized’ on its page (still shown on a thin model), and I’d buy it immediately. Even if I wasn’t particularly thrilled about the piece, I was just excited there was something in my size. Or so I thought. The clothes usually didn’t fit, and none of them were returnable.

After amassing piles of ill-fitting vintage clothes from dozens of online vintage stores, I decided to start reselling the pieces that didn’t work for my body – and Berriez blossomed.

The conversation around thrifting/plus-sized bodies is pretty nuanced i.e. smaller-bodied people buying thrift meant for plus-sized bodies. Would you say Shop Berriez is an extension or solution to that conversation?

Berriez is marketed by and for plus-size people and aims to be a solution to that conversation. I'd hope that smaller-sized people aren't buying Berriez in bigger sizes to wear as 'oversized,' but that's not something I can personally control, and people can obviously wear what they feel most comfortable in! With each piece, I aim to photograph it on someone whose size the piece actually is - instead of showing it on someone who's smaller and worn as 'oversized.'

Your collaboration with Janelle R. Abbot is amazing! How did you guys conceptualize that idea and execute it with a small collection?

Thank you! Janelle is an amazing designer. I met them at an Alexa Stark event last Fall and immediately reached out to express my admiration of their work and to inquire about a collaboration. They enthusiastically agreed, and asked me to send me damaged or unworn pieces from the Berriez archives for them to work their magic! To ensure that the fit of their garments would fit plus-size bodies, I sent them all of my measurements (size 18) as a fit model, and they used those as a guide.