Fashion: Is there room for the plus size in designer stores?

Size zero models sashay down the rampThis sentence reappears whenever a fashion week is in progress But when commerce calls every rule in the book turns on its head Recently fashion designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh announced the launch of her Big Beautiful Women Line on designer shopping portal Exclusivelycom While India has no standard sizing Ghoshs line offers dresses kurtas jackets kaftans and saris for women in the bracket of size 12 to 18Models stand as window displays as part of the UK Plus Size Fashion Week in 2015 PicGetty ImagesI have realised that there was less sale of sizes 8 to 10 and the demand for sizes 14 to 18 was higher Sixfoot models that fit into size 8 garments make everything look beautiful But honestly how many size 8 ensembles do I sell reveals Ghosh She feels that the designs available are predictable For a trial I added stocks between sizes 14 and 18 at a store and they were sold out We didnt do any publicity Why would I say no to a buyer asks the Kolkatabased designerFrom left Capes by Hemant amp Nandita are their bestsellers A Kiran Uttam Ghosh outfit Sonam and Paras Modirsquos ethnic floor length jackets are preferred in larger sizes Need of the hourApparel chains make it easier to buy trendy clothes in bigger sizes Though finding the right dress is still a problem shares 24yearold cityresident and plus size buyer Pallavi Shah Pamela Bubber a plus size designer tells us I realised that there is a gap in the market in the city for plus size clothing and started designing only for the bigger sizes I consciously dont make salwar kameezes as when women come to me I encourage them to get out of the rut and try something new and contemporary Designers Hemant amp Nandita explain the current scene Every woman has this innate desire to dress well and indulge in the latest trends An increasing number of women are getting more comfortable with their bodies It is about time that designers address this largely ignored demographicAmerican model Ashley Graham who has been named as plus sized model of the hour PicAFPThe challenge is to accentuate the natural figure while camouflaging the problem areasFashion designer Payal Singhal tells us that online sales statistics pointed that 80 of their custom orders on the web were for sizes 14 or above When we realised that there is a demand for bigger sizes we needed to have them on the rack in our stores too The key is to balance the numbers So if we have 10 medium and 6 large we would have about 4 XL Tunics sell the most I wear plus sizes and I feel while picking your outfits you should understand your body and not just become a fashion victim says SinghalKiran Uttam Ghosh Payal SinghalHigh sellerFor designers Sonam and Paras Modi of SVA floorlength jackets are their highest selling pieces The challenge lies in convincing the customer to try something new We are extremely sensitive towards the plus size market We love to make clothes for the plus size segment since they do not have access to designs that would flatter curves Regular consumers want to look slimmer in their ensembles too So we work towards creating silhouettes that make people look taller and slimmer and flatter all body types the couple tells usAnd as in the case of every size personal attention is also an important factor Multibrand stores have made it easier to buy workwear like kurtis and leggings Trousers remain a problem so I stick to my local tailor who knows what kind of fits I prefer A trusted tailor is your best bet says 29yearold Reshma Iyer who is another plus size apparel shopperStockist speakThe movement towards body positivity no matter ones size has grown remarkably within the last year These days women are far more comfortable and confident of their bodies The intent is to offer customers a space where there are enough styles sizes and price points says Amit Maheshwari CEO ExclusivelycomKharbased fashion store Atosa stocks a variety of designers like Wendell Rodricks Savio Jon Stephany DSouza and James Ferreira who create garments for bigger sizes Indian women are heavy on the chest and hipsYou cant do anything about genetics Stocking small sizes is a risk Designers understand this market and you have names such as Anamika Khanna Kallol Datta and Anand Kabra offering high fashion clothes for every body type assures Aparna Badlani coowner In contrast fashion store Le Mill stocks no plus sizes as international labels stocked by them dont offer any