By Natasha Davis
What is the most difficult part of shopping as a plus-size woman? The answer is complicated. Yes, there is a lack of selection, and yes the clothing is more expensive, but the real problem is that the clothes are often ill fitting and dowdy.
There is an understanding that this general lack of style stems from a lack of knowledge on the part of designers. The fact is that it’s much easier to cut long shapeless boxes than a properly fitted garment. But, the designers are not entirely to blame since no design school actually teaches students how to design for a plus-size woman, until now.
Last year Evans, a member of the UK fashion juggernaut Arcadia Group, decided to use their influence to create more stylish options from the ground up. Evans partnered with Nottingham Trent and Kingston University to teach students how to design for plus-size women.
The students were then challenged to design a six-piece plus-size collection for the Cut for Evans line. Their collections were then judged by plus-size fashion elites like plus-size model Whitney Thompson and celebrity stylist Susan Moses.
The lucky winner was Yvonne Shu Yao, a BA student at Nottingham Trent University. Her aquatic theme mixed with innovative graphic prints and classic cuts was an obvious choice. The pieces were manufactured for the SS15 collection and are currently available in the US, UK and Europe.
Check out the full collection for proof that designing for plus-size women doesn’t have to mean sacrificing style.
