Just like there are designers who make clothes that subvert women's body image, there are designers who acknowledge that few women wear a size 6. Let's patronize 'em:
Giorgio Armani — I wear his suits (purchased, on sale, at the end of the season) until they’re practically falling apart. His clothes are elegant, flattering, and fit a broad range of sizes.
Chanel — Though I don’t own any Chanel, I’ve seen the line available in many sizes. What a shame that Karl Lagerfeld has such peculiar ideas about body size. Maybe losing so much weight on a crash diet did weird things to his cognitive skills?
Ralph Lauren — He offers clothes from his premium line, Black Label, all the way up to size 14. He also offers a line of clothes up to size 22.
Akris - The clothes can be a bit, uh, mature, but damnit, they fit really well! If you need a conservative, all purpose suit, Akris is a great alternative to Armani.
Etro - Fun and fanciful. I’ve seen Etro come in sizes as large as 50 (or about a US 14/16). Why should thin people be the only folks to enjoy paisley?
Gianfranco Ferre. I’m partial to Ferre. I was married in Ferre! Well, to be precise, it was a Ferre blouse and an Armani Collezioni skirt. My husband and I were very sneaky. We got married by a judge at lunch, and then attended a black-tie event that night for his work where we didn’t tell anyone what we had done. We wore big grins and the same clothes all day (though Norm switched to a bow tie)! — I wear my Ferre blouse whenever I can because it’s beautiful, and because it reminds me of a spectacular day.
Please let me know of any designers that should be included. I'm not a diligent shopper, so I'm sure some important names have been forgotten!
There's a whole list of smaller designers who fit all the way up to supersize at http://www.geocities.com/tenorqueen/
also, if you are ever in chicago go to the boutique vive la femme it's fashionable and fun and plus sized clothing.
Posted by: Robin | February 12, 2007 at 11:21 AM