Friday, October 15, 2010

The Bridge Is Out

Yesterday I noticed that there is a serious divide going on in fashion.  I think I've always known it, but it became more evident as my day progressed.  Plus size is still fashion's ignored stepchild.  Despite the 62% of women who are a size 14 and above, it seems like the chasm may be permanent.  My fashion mogul friend and founder of Full-Figured Fashion Week, Gwen DeVoe, pretty much tried to convince me while we were laughing and chatting over cocktails a few weeks ago. "Wilbur, the big boys still have not invited me to the table," she said explaining that high fashion is an exclusive club reserved for the fabulously skinny.  Sporting my rose-colored glasses, I really didn't want to believe her.  After all, I have received so much attention for my creative efforts concerning the curvy woman.  Just to name a few recent gains by the curvy community - -  during New York Fashion Week this past September, One Stop Plus staged the first runway show dedicated solely to contemporary fashions for the curvy woman.  Clingy and sexy dress designer, Monif C. recently celebrated her fifth year in business.  And big girls continue to make "special" appearances in mainstream magazines.  But so many people don't want to embrace the curvy.  A couple of weeks ago when I was in Re/dress, the Brooklyn-based destination emporium for all things vintage for the curvy woman, I met a lovely young lady named Jessica.  Jessica and I fell into a deep conversation like we'd been forever friends when she confessed to me that she had recently gone down to a size 14 from a size 24.  And she shared something with me that has stayed on my mind since.  Jessica thinks clothing manufacturers do not put a lot of effort or style into plus fashions because most women consider the weight temporary and are always striving to become a more socially acceptable size 6 or 8.  Hello Oprah!  I immediately disagreed with her because if that is the case then my career choice is a big mistake.  But maybe there is a little truth to it?  Yesterday afternoon I met with the buyer at Bloomingdale's.  I felt empowered by the many women whom I have met online and in person who have asked me when and where they'll be able to buy my dresses.  So I carefully pulled out each of my confections explaining how we could accommodate her customer by adding sleeves or changing colors and fabrication.  I explained to her that the customer wants to celebrate her curves and is looking for pieces that caress her curves, not tent-like frocks that do nothing for her shape.  "She wants more fashion," I added.  I informed her that I have over 500 followers on facebook.  I write a blog that goes out to about 250 readers.  And we maintain a website as well. When she calculated the retail price of one of my dresses, she thought it was a bit pricey for the Bloomingdale's customer.  I assured her that the Bloomingdale's customer is not resistant to price if she is getting value and fashion.  She told me that she'd never seen a line like mine before - a statement I found a little ambiguous to be sure. When I left that meeting, the buyer said that she was unwilling to change the status quo and add a new designer to her mix of vendors for now.  I was disappointed as I walked to Bloomingdale's to inform the sales team who had been so supportive over the last couple of months.  As I rode the escalator up to the 3rd floor, I saw a lot of fashion happening in other departments that were bustling.  In the women's department it was quiet and overflowing with a lot of the same clothes by the same vendors like Jones New York that are found in other stores such as Lord & Taylor and Macy's.  So although I am on the front lines talking to the customer doing my best to accommodate her fashion and style needs, she's losing in the long run. The message that is being conveyed is that because she's bigger, her access to more fashionable items should and will be limited.

Later in the evening, I had the opportunity to attend the book signing of WWD@100 at Bergdorf Goodman.  Populated by fashion industry superstars, my model Dee Dee and I along with Ashanti were a breath of plus size freshness.  And we did get snapped by one of the evening's photographers.  But Dee Dee commented that the atmosphere was very "clique-ish".  I am not sure how to infiltrate the fashion cognoscenti's sphere of fabulousness, but I am looking to build a bridge so that plus-size fashion is no longer an oxymoron.

Peace & Fashion!

3 comments:

  1. The buyer at Bloomingdales is really missing the boat here. For every size 0 out there wearing what Bloomingdales is currently carrying are 100 curvy fashionistas starving for something fashionable to wear.

    Somewhere there has to be a buyer who has the guts to break new ground. I guess it's not that buyer at Bloomingdales though. What a pity she passed up such an opportunity.

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  2. Thanks, Marge, for your encouraging comment and for the advice you shared off-site as well. I will definitely explore it further. I am grateful for your insight and support.

    Peace & Fashion!
    BlackFashionDude

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  3. Wilber, they are missing the boat and the oars here - and my marketing/theatre experience suggests another kind of approach. You need to stage a "play" in the woman's department.....You need to have a few women, wearing your garments - maybe not as a total ensemble, but as pieces, and looking smoking - as they always do, shopping in said store when you are meeting - or even the day before.... Then, we need to have other women who ask the sales person where they can find those pieces.....if a sales agent says they don't think they carry that line, ask them to check with the manager, because you were almost sure you saw someone grab something just like that off the rack and you LOVE it. No, they don't carry it - well off the woman runs to find the person wearing your piece to ask who is the designer and where can they get it. OK - it's like the old days of street theatre, street fashion shows on 6th on 7th....No one wants to break out of the box right now because they are so glad to have a job in this economy ( which was comin' this way over 8 years ago....)I think the key to this is putting the women who get photographed in your dresses...So, if I am going to South Hollywood to do the Fashion show down there in Nov, I should be wearing your designs when I am doing a pre event party or arriving at the hotel and click, click - cameras are going off and bloggers are blogging and your name is on their fingertips. And maybe it does have to start in Soho Women.....Or one or two boutiques in the chic downtown of Atlanta and DC - and find one or two of the go to women there and give them a dress to wear to a major event.....
    Just one more soul searching idea!!!

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