THE PLUS PUZZLE
Is plus-size fashion in India a growing market or just a marketing gimmick? Experts talk about plus size fashion and the need to look beyond sizes
Fendi’s fall 2020 show in Milan, Italy, featured plus-size models — Paloma Elsesser and Jill Kortleve — on the runway for the first time, alongside Gigi and Bella Hadid. We take a look at how high the stakes are in
India when it comes to embracing sizes other than sample size, and how inclusive is the Indian fashion industry.
Though plus-size fashion has been spoken about a lot in the recent few years, how many designers have explored it? Fashion designer Rixi Bhatia of label Half Full Curve says, “I don’t think plus-size fashion has evolved that much. We started off as a plussize fashion label because there was a lack of it and nobody was doing it in the luxury fashion or design sector. We work with real body types and made it a body positive fashion label, and that’s the need of the hour.”
She adds, “Today, plus size fashion is spoken a lot more than before. And now, everyone is accepting that there are real body types and then there are fashion body types in India. However, converting it into garments and selling it into the market... I think there are a very few people who have started doing it. People are talking about curvy fashion, but translating it into actual collections is difficult, and a lot of investment and inventory, which is a very individualistic approach for your business.”
The statement, ‘The show is a fantasy’ made by Ed Razek, the then chief marketing officer of Victoria’s Secret parent company L brand, received a lot of flak. In 2018, according to reports, Razek drew criticism for trans and fat phobic comments about the show’s casting. In wake of the backlash, in 2019, the brand collaborated with another lingerie brand Bluebella and will feature a plus-size model in a lingerie campaign.
Mona Varonica Campbell, India’s first trans plus-size supermodel, who recently collaborated with Victoria’s Secret, shares that the statement that ‘no plus-size model or trans model can sell fantasy’ did affect the brand. To make up for it they went on to create lingerie for plus size.
NEED TO EDUCATE
While the industry focusses on the runway and retail of plus-size clothing, it is also important to sensitise individuals and create an environment in the education system. Vaibbhavi P, principal designer and founder of Vaibbhavi P, shares that while good design is about empathy and user-centric approach, she feels that it is important to explain that one size does not fit all. “Inclusive fashion means it is designed to flatter most body types and shapes unlike the narrow vision of designs suitable only for what is perceived as ‘ideal’ thin and tall fashion models,” adds Vaibbhavi.
Vaibbhavi also shares pointers as to what needs to be done to improve the way fashion designing is taught in colleges when it comes to plus-size fashion:
■ Designing the project briefs to look beyond the regular sizes, and for real people with varied body sizes.
■ Bring about consumer insights, the changing demographic and anthropometric measurements. Applying design process to address and flatter body curves.
■ Understanding of fabrics, prints and embellishment, silhouette, colours, fit, etc., which are more becoming and balanced.
■ The understanding of pattern grading, creative pattern making and draping will also be helpful to create newer style options; rather than just making the outfit bigger or smaller, as that may often yield ill-fitting styles.
TRADE TALES
A leading online fashion store recently launched a dedicated plus-size clothes line, with an objective to cater to everyone irrespective of what size you are. Mayank Shivam from the online fashion platform says, “Shopping habits are constantly evolving and becoming more diverse and ecommerce makes it so much easier today for customers to shop at a click of a button, irrespective of their location or physical accessibility to a store. We launched dedicated plus-size stores offering curated selections across 45+ brands, including plus-size only brands like aLL, Pluss, etc., as well as extended sizes from other popular brands.”
While inclusivity is important, just creating awareness is not going to help. From a revenue point of view, Mandeep Nagi from Shades of India is of the opinion that fashion is a personal thing. However, for brands to exclude styles based on size, logically, is of no economic value. “It is a growing market, with an e-commerce boom, and there is a need to be more inclusive,” says Nagi. She also says that monetary benefit follows on its own if what you’re doing has passion and purity of thought powering it.