What is the relationship between plus size fashion and pregnant women's fashion?
In everyone's mind, it's the same thing: the woman is round (or fat) in both cases. It turns out that in the minds of some marketers, this is also the case! WTF????
During my internet wanderings to find examples to illustrate the digital marketing courses that I give to students (one of my activities, and I love it, because “sharing is caring”!), I take the opportunity to Browse sites with plus size women's fashion offerings. As for...killing...two birds with one stone, since plus size fashion is my passion and my mission.
I just came across a site again that includes the "pregnant women" category in the "plus size" category, as if being pregnant automatically made you a fat woman (not to use the word curvy, since at least one part of the body is round in this case J). I virtually jumped in anger. This took me back to the beginnings of Atelier 312: I was often asked in my personal and professional circle what the point was in creating and distributing a plus size brand for women when there are brands for pregnant women. . As long as you get your supplies from these brands!
The most aberrant being that these remarks came from women, some of whom had children. The men also thought the same, but we will forgive them their dinosaurian thoughts... in passing I want to thank this man, his name escapes me, met during a professional event who warmly encouraged me in my adventure, understanding what his potential. Especially since with Atelier 312, I wanted to offer them refined, quality pieces, which is greatly lacking in the large size landscape. I was tired of explaining that not only are brands for pregnant women not physically suitable but that psychologically, it is a catastrophe to offer this to fat women. Physically… because you know as I do that pregnant women's brands will often stop at the famous 42 and represent an image of the pregnant woman who is only rounded from the belly. Psychologically, because being pregnant is not at all the same thing as being round, fat, luscious, curvy, whatever the word used (even if in absolute terms I would like to know what the most appropriate word is ). Being pregnant is necessarily transitory. Being round can be but may not be, and finds its origin in multiple factors, assumed or not. In short, it is far more complex! Later, my pregnancy reinforced this reflection. I was pregnant and yet I still couldn't find what I was looking for in the classic brands for pregnant women.
Fitting curves is all about fit. The cut is a question of volume. And volumes are a question of math. It's as simple as that.
But to make it even simpler: to find the right cut, you simply need to observe. Observe and observe again. Observe women and listen to them. Watch them move. The sine qua non condition for creating inspired, well-cut pieces that fit well, that are forgotten and that live with and for women. Because it's fashionable to adapt to women and not the other way around. In short, a lot of educational work needs to be done among fashion professionals and marketers!
Happy week!
Sabine, founder of Atelier 312 Paris, a premium Parisian brand designed for fit women www.atelier312.com
