Far too often in the fashion industry we override certain developments and movements because fashion has this crazy partisan attitude attached to it. People at times feel unsafe and scared to override the status quo for things that may seem non-vogue even if a market for them exists. This would have caused women who didn’t fit into the mould to feel frustrated and discriminated against. In addition, such potential ventures are ruled out as too high risk.
A fashion sector that has gone through such tribulation is the plus size industry. It was not until the digital age that there was a significant boom in retailers who actually gave two cents about women who didn’t fit the mould. And I am not just talking about a one-off collection here and there. I am talking about the dedicated collections. Today, plus size women even have their own jewellery on ASOS.
The difference with the plus size industry however, is that we haven’t really seen many designers predominately working on plus size lines. The market is overflowing with fast fashion plus size clothing. Though there has been progress made, I feel it has been completely driven by profits. Don’t get me wrong, most industries are, but fashion at least for average sized women has seen more contribution to fashion as art and not only just clothes for profit. Here are a few trends I have noticing for the plus size fashion industry.
The self-made model – In comparison to the rest of the industry, it is easier to make a name for yourself in the plus size industry because of the nature of its development. If you have great style and a barrage of followers, more than likely that you will be singled out by retailers. Models in the plus size industry are more than just models. They are more like round-the-clock brand ambassadors. The plus size industry is a fragile place because of the discrimination and stigma attached to it, hence the plus size consumer is more likely to listen to the girl who is the same situation she is in, as opposed to retailers.
Market adaptation – While the boom from fast fashion retailers remains strong, it offers a fair chance for lots of luxury designers to use the successes from their trial and error. There is a much better understanding of the industry and what these women are looking for than the fast fashion industry has been able to carve out. I think, like any other industry, there should be a class A, where consumers can choose and not just be limited to mass produced clothes that last 6 months. There are still significant gaps in the market that can and should be filled. I personally think it’s one of the niche markets where a Caribbean based designer can thrive internationally very quickly and easily once the aesthetic and quality control are A1.
There aren’t too many Caribbean based plus size fashion bloggers. However, I did manage to find one based in Trinidad: Two Trini Girls – if you’re interested in sourcing and learning more about plus size fashion highlights in the Caribbean. My two favourite plus size fashion blogs that have gained a strong international following are Gabi Fresh and Nadia Aboulhosn.
