Message from Australian Designer
Leina Broughton
#AFWWeCallBS
I like to think I’m pretty calm and collected but I’ll admit I’m passionate and there is one topic that keeps on making my blood boil…. SIZING!!!
The last two newsletters from Ragtrader have had insights by key industry players and influencers giving the run down on luxury trends and who are the must-see labels at Fashion Week this year.
Running through the list of labels, once again, there is one thing missing in the luxury clothing category… anything over a size 16. The bulk of the labels only offer up to a size 14 and even then the measurements are skewed to in reality be much smaller. Does this mean that luxury for a woman over size 14 may only include accessories? After all the changes we have seen in the Fashion Industry in regards to size diversity it is still not a reality. High end brands still refuse to see or accept that the average size Australian woman is a size 14/16. If they did, surely there would be a balance on either side of this size?
THE AVERAGE AUSTRALIAN WOMAN IS A SIZE 14/16
A conversation I had with a friend many years ago who is a size 18/20, broke my heart and she’s not alone in this story. It is one we have heard so many times from our customers. The experience of shopping with friends. Heading into boutiques and simply making an a-line to the accessories as she already knew there would be nothing in her size on offer in clothing and if there was it would be in a special section for plus-size. Not part of the main section of the store, not really invited to be there. The irony is that this friend is one of the most successful and high earning women that I know… so WHY is she not recognised as the amazing customer and woman that she is…
The stores blame the labels for not offering more sizes but I call bullshit, it goes both ways. The retailers also refuse to purchase the extended size range. So who is to blame here? I’ve got no idea but it totally frustrates me to see leading Australian Fashion brands & retailers continue to disregard inclusive size ranges. I don’t want to freak you out, but PRESS ALERT women of all sizes are beautiful, relevant and cool.
L&F SURVEYED 2000 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN
- 75% WERE A SIZE 14 - 24
In a society where we see girls and women, of all ages struggling with eating disorders, why is this size exclusion still ok? The rest of society is moving on and accepting body positivity and diversity but the Fashion Industry keeps retreating back to an age of inappropriate representation of how success is defined through a size tag. Can we please move on??
If we want to see change, we have to make it. Wake up peeps!!!