Style for all: Indian designers and brands are finally embracing plus size fashion
The plus size customer can no longer be ignored by designers and retailers. Around the world, curvy models are being lauded. In India too, plus size fashion has come of age.
In the past, it was a given that if you’re not a size zero, you won’t find fashionable outfits in stories. That’s changing now. Indian fashion designers are taking notice of the plus size segment and adding oodles of style to it. Plus size cannot be ignored, say designers like Falguni and Shane Peacock, Payal Singhal and Monisha Jaising.
Falguni and Shane Peacock, who are participating in the fifth edition of the Vogue Wedding Show 2017 luxury bridal exhibition, say that “at times, it seems that the fashion industry really believes all women are the size of those skinny models on the runways”. But that is changing now. “Almost half the women in this country are size 12 or larger, and finally, the clothing industry is taking note. On runways, in stores, even in the pages of magazines, the plus size woman is finally getting some fashion respect - not because the industry has decided it’s okay to be big, but because it can no longer afford to ignore her,” the duo told IANS.
Payal Singhal says the industry is finally acknowledging that the demand for larger sizes - just like the frame - is big. Singhal, known for her celebrity clientele, asserts that it is not only about business. “The fashion industry as a community is coming out to endorse body positive images and that’s great as it’s time we take some responsibility and help women accept themselves the way they are versus the stick thin photoshopped model images they see in magazines,” she explained.
Ace designer Wendell Rodricks has collaborated with aLL, The Plus Size Store, to design a new autumn winter collection, which will be showcased at the forthcoming Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017. “Fashion should be for everyone; no matter the age, colour, size or shape. At the LFW, I intend to break all myths about colours and shapes for voluptuous figures,” Rodricks said. Monisha Jaising, who is also part of the fifth edition of Vogue Wedding Show, which is being held from August 4 to 6 at the Taj Palace here, feels the fashion world is increasingly counting on “plus-size customers, a demographic that it has long ignored” to fuel growth.” “Plus size fashion bloggers too are driving this transformation. Around the world, they are the new face of the future of fashion,” she said.
Gaurav Gupta, known for his edgy garments, took healthy note of the trend, saying: “In general, women are becoming much more aware about fitness and a lot more girls are now fitter than before. Having said that, there is a parallel trend of easy shaped couture, with silhouettes which work on many more body types.”
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