Dani DMC
Self-love, self-awareness, and unwavering determination – these are the messages that plus-size model Dani DMC shares daily on her social media. With a unique mix of authenticity and approachability, she has built a loyal following of over 1.4 million people across multiple platforms, drawn to her raw and unfiltered content.
But for Dani DMC, it’s never been just about fashion, recognition, or likes. What truly matters to her is being a safe space for those who have found strength in her words and actions—a push to embrace themselves fully in defiance of the toxic social standards that dictate worth.
We sat down with Dani DMC to talk about her journey, the seven years she spent in Los Angeles building her name in the fashion world, her recent heartbreak, and her fresh start in London – a city where she’s ready to write a new chapter, with body positivity as her non-negotiable guiding force.
FAULT: Throughout your career, you’ve worked with major brands and inspired thousands of people. What would you say has been your greatest achievement so far?
Dani DMC: You know I get asked this question quite often, and while right away you’d think my mind would go to the biggest brand I’ve worked with or campaign I’ve shot, but 100% without a doubt my greatest achievement is creating and impacting my community. A place where people who have been ‘othered’ feel safe and supported and can gain something from content to take into their daily lives. The experiences I have with women in particular who come up to me in the streets and share their stories with me and tell me how much I’ve helped them will forever and always be my greatest achievement from this career I’ve created.
You recently shared on social media that you went through a breakup. You’ve been very open about your healing process and starting fresh. How has this experience impacted your personal and professional life? Are you ready for a new relationship?
To be honest, it might come as a surprise, but I’m actually quite a private person, which makes my job a bit difficult. I chose not to share my breakup for 6+ months because my mental health will always take priority. I wanted to make sure I had begun my healing journey alone before I brought my community in. Ironically, (or maybe not) London had a huge role in my healing journey, as I spent almost 2 months here during that period where I hadn’t shared that I was single yet. Ultimately, I decided it was important for me to be open with my community because what I was enduring is so relatable and a time when confidence and self-love come into play more than ever. I’m so fortunate that my ex and I have been able to stay friends, especially considering we have known each other for 10+ years. That’s something I wanted to show my community as well. It doesn’t always have to end in an unhealthy way, and sometimes you both need to go your separate ways to prioritize yourself, even when it’s not catastrophic. I’m healing and growing every day, and grateful for where I am right now. I have so much love to give, and I’m someone who spent a lot of my life closed off to love. I’m happy to no longer be like that. So, to answer your question, I’m in no rush, but I’m also open. Whatever is meant for me will be.
Can you give us a sneak peek into some of your upcoming projects or goals? Especially as you’ve made such a big change by moving to a different continent.
I can’t remember being so excited about a year since the beginning of my career. 2025 has magic in the air! I can feel it in every element of my life. Now that I’ve moved out of Los Angeles and decided what I want my next step to be, I’m going all in. I have my north star, and I’m more focused than ever. I’m originally from Chicago. I’ve lived in NYC. I just spent the last 7 years in Los Angeles. I felt like I’ve tackled every big city in the US, and I’m ready for my next big adventure. I want to challenge myself and see what else this world has in store for me. There’s a lot of my projects I can’t mention yet, but I can assure you I’m one to watch this year. I can say I’m hoping to launch my own podcast, partner with some big London content creators on a secret project, and do my best to spread confidence wherever I go.
The Dani DMC message of self-love and acceptance has touched so many lives. From your perspective, how much progress have we made as a society when it comes to inclusion and body diversity? And where do you think there’s still work to be done?
I think growing up as someone who was constantly ‘othered,’ you’re taught that you should be grateful for the breadcrumbs and the bare minimum. I refuse to clap for the bare minimum. To me, it’s embarrassing how little our society has done to make every human feel included. This is why my work is so important, and I’ll never stop what I’m doing. So many brands and big companies (and people living their day-to-day lives for that matter) are so afraid to be different and go against the grain, so they just continue to follow the ‘status quo’… it’s boring! Until every human can turn on the TV, open their favorite clothing website, look at their politicians, read the biggest magazines, and see themselves regardless of their size, skin color, disabilities, religion, etc., we’re not doing enough.
In a recent post, you mentioned that high-intensity workouts are essential for your mental health. How have you navigated the stereotypes around self-care and gym culture as a plus-size woman? What would you say to someone who feels these spaces aren’t for them?
I love this question; thank you for asking it. I am someone who is very aware and conscious of how I treat my body. I’m vegetarian. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink alcohol or caffeine and don’t eat processed foods. I’ve had many people throughout my life make the assumption that I don’t take care of my body in the way that I do because I am plus-size. This clearly couldn’t be further from the truth. When I go to the doctor, my numbers couldn’t be better. I am healthy, and I am also 105 kilos. Both can be true. To be honest, if you are a bigger person, it’s so hard to be receptive to a smaller person telling you what you should and shouldn’t be doing with your body because this has been our lifetime experience. I want to hear about health from people who look like me, and that’s why I do my best to speak about how I take care of my body. I never prioritize or highlight weight loss because I personally don’t focus on my weight, and I don’t think that’s where anyone needs to start. It all begins with loving yourself—your mind, body, and spirit—and making decisions on how you want to treat it. Not just working out and what you eat (which are so important), but what you consume in other areas of your life on a daily basis. To me, internal physical and mental health should always be prioritized. Often in our society, they are not, especially when it comes to plus-size people.
How has the transition of leaving Los Angeles been for you? What challenges and lessons have you faced along the way?
I think my exit from LA was long overdue, to be honest. I was constantly looking for my next move early on into living there. It was hard for me to leave because LA is where my career started and flourished. I also couldn’t think of anywhere else I wanted to go or that felt right for me. Now, it’s clear I was looking in the wrong place. I’m grateful for everything LA gave me, but I do believe I had a glass ceiling there. I’ve never been one to follow the crowd. Staying in LA felt too much like that for me. I was ready to switch it up and do something we hadn’t seen. To be honest, although there are so many tedious pieces to moving, there haven’t been any major challenges since leaving LA. This was just confirmation that I was making the best decision for myself.
In a reel, you talked about some qualities you look for in new friendships, like honesty, mutual support, and trust. How has this mindset helped you build meaningful connections in your new city? Have you found a new best friend yet?
I think the older I get, the more insight and knowledge I have on relationships as a whole. Who and what I want in my life, and what I will and won’t accept or tolerate. I feel more sure now than ever before in my ability to select people to be in my life. Similar to my relationship status, I’m not in a rush to find a best friend, but I have met some phenomenal people who remind me of a lot of my friends from back home in Chicago. I have no doubt I will find my people.
In your farewell to Los Angeles, you mentioned that despite its challenges, the city taught you valuable lessons about yourself. What lessons do you think will stay with you forever from that chapter of your life?
Los Angeles taught me that you can have anything you want if you work for it. It’s a city that makes you feel like there are no limits. I’m grateful that’s what I was met with at the beginning of my career. LA also taught me that I can move across the country from my family and everyone I know, start a new chapter, and build a life. Now looking back, I truly believe that was a stepping stone to prove I could do the same thing 7 years later.
Lastly, you’ve mentioned that “the best is yet to come.” What does that phrase mean to you at this point in your life? How do you envision the next few years?
Life has always surprised me. I had a hard childhood and adolescence, and I truly believe I experienced pain and trauma at such a young age to allow life to just get better and better. Don’t get me wrong, life always has a way of humbling you, but I’ve always felt deeply that I was not supposed to have an easy life but a BIG FULL life. With realizing that comes the understanding that there are constantly going to be obstacles, you will outgrow and lose people, and you will be lonely at times, but at the same time you will have the deepest connection with yourself, you will clearly see and live in your purpose, you will live a full life, and experience adventures some can only dream of. I know there is a force bigger than myself looking out for me, holding and guiding me. I have no fear entering these next few years, just pure excitement for what’s in store for me. It’s just going to keep getting better and better. The best is forever yet to come in this life I live…