Does high fashion
have a plus size problem?
These days, the facts and figures that surround the plus
size market are commonplace but to get our point across we’ll hit you with some
anyway.
In 2016, the plus size fashion industry was worth around
$21.4 billion – this represented a growth of around 6% in the number of women
above a size 14. Despite this, 37% of plus size women continue to wear men’s
clothing to workout, and a staggering 65% agree that their size is still
ignored by the fashion industry.
Inclusivity doesn’t
necessarily mean equality
It’s no secret that more and more brands are adding to their
collections with plus size clothing but this type of inclusivity doesn’t
necessarilymean that there’s total equality quite just yet.
Plus size models such as Ashley
Graham and Iskra Lawrence may be spending more time in the public
spotlight, but major fashion houses are still failing to diversify the models
that they put down the runway. For years, designers have been criticised
for their promotion of ‘unattainable figures’. At first, it was models so
thin that they cast light on eating disorders, and then young, pubescent teens.
Luxury brands are the trendsetters so if industry change is
on the horizon, even the world’s biggest designers will need to be on board. As
soon as fashion houses start to introduce plus sizes into their ranges, there’s
no doubt that it will begin to trickle down into the mass market.
Of course, there are some luxury brands that cater to plus
sizes - Prabal Gurung and Christian Siriano have both proven to be pioneers.
However, a lot of retailers either fail to stock extended sizes or fail to
promote their plus sizes enough.
Certain issues still
need to be discussed
Plus size women may be moving ever closer toward complete
social acceptance, but there continues to be a number of issues surrounding the
industry that need to be addressed. Take the idea of swimsuits, for example. A
quick Google search of ‘plus size swimwear’ may bring up plenty of retro
high-waisted two pieces but how many low-rise bikinis are on offer?
It’s often a rarity of options for plus size ladies who are
taller or shorter than the average. Heading to the ‘curve’ section of a brand
will often mean you need to improvise when it comes to your height. Perhaps
this has something to do with the fact that fashion schools fail to teach
budding designers how to cut and drape for any model that’s any bigger than the
typical 4-6.
Another issue is that high-street retailers that do stock
plus size clothing will slip up on their visual merchandising, choosing to
almost banish their extended sizes to a corner of the store away from their
‘regular’ range. When you arrive there, you’ll probably see no more than a few
rails with a basic assortment of trends leaving you feeling left out and
deflated. The same goes for shopping online, although sites such as Ashleigh Plus Size make it easier for
the curvier ladies out there to find outfits that aren’t only the right size,
but right on trend.
*Collaborative piece
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