Addition Elle and Loulou: the launch of a new era for plus-sized fashion

I’m not going to say that big is beautiful or that real women have curves. These are the kinds of stereotypes-in-reverse that hurt more than they help, because they still suggest that there is only one way to be beautiful. Women’s bodies (and men’s bodies, and all bodies) come in all different shapes and sizes, and the only thing that is universally beautiful is good health. That excludes obesity every bit as much as it does anorexia. But between those extremes there is a huge range of beauty. With that disclaimer out of the way, I will say that I have always been a curvy girl myself and have struggled with the limitations of fashion available for my size bracket.

As a teenager I was limited to Addition Elle and Penningtons which, in the ‘90s, geared themselves exclusively toward older women and left my already awkward 14-year-old self dressed in unflattering boxy clothes more suited for somebody’s grandma. The day I could stop shopping at exclusively plus-sized retailers was a glorious one for me; just as rewarding has been the gradual expansion of most stores’ size ranges up to a 14 or 16. While the slow inflation of what a size 10 means at Old Navy may be fooling no one, it has benefited some of us.

But now, just when I had struck those old-fashioned plus-sized stores off my shopping list for good, it looks like they might finally have something to offer to the stylish girl with curves. On April 10, Addition Elle, in conjunction with Loulou magazine, launched a limited-edition collection of designer-inspired plus-sized fashions. The release of this capsule collection has coincided with Loulou’s expansion into the plus-size fashion world. This includes a new section on its website devoted to shopping resources and fashion tips for full-figured women, as well as a special insert called the “Loulou 14+ Fashion Guide” in its April issue.

Reading through the articles or the website reveals one glaring fact, though: the options for larger women are in fact hugely limited. An overwhelming majority of the options for sizes 20+ still come from Addition Elle and Penningtons. In terms of retailer options, not much has actually changed since my awkward childhood. That means that, for women who still don’t fit into the upper end of most retailers, their fashionableness (or lack thereof) depends upon an increased selection at the same old stores. Penningtons tried this out a few years ago with the release of their MXM line in conjunction with the adoption of Mia Tyler as their model and spokeswoman.

For a while things looked hopeful for the otherwise remarkably frumpy Penningtons. Unfortunately, what started strong, with low-strung jeans and graphic tees, has since declined into a dull selection of solid-toned t-shirts in stretchy material and simple dark pants - a fine way to build a basic wardrobe, but barely a flirty dress or eye-catching fashion piece in sight. With the Addition Elle and Loulou partnership comes a renewal of hope. The new collection is not, I confess, awe-inspiring. The solid colours and stretch material remain. Remarkably enough, the small collection, which has been touting its limited-edition status, features such dull and universally accessible numbers as a spaghetti-strapped tank-top with horizontal stripes of yellow, grey and black (which I imagine will look good on maybe three women, ever) and a solid black trouser.

Yawn. The capsule collection is not entirely a disappointment, though. Some of the pieces are striking, unusual, even eye-catching, which is something of a breakthrough for a fashion industry that has long been suggesting that women of this size range would do best to simply fade out of view. The white jacket with contrasting black piping is simple but modern, a refreshing change to the parade of black suits usually offered up. A high-necked sleeveless top in a bandana-print offers a fun clubbing option for hot summer nights, and it’s long enough to double as a dress for the more daring. The triumph of the collection is no doubt the black shirt-dress with over-sized collar.

A little bit Audrey Hepburn and a little bit safari-chic, this dress manages to be at once staple and statement-piece. Best of all, the collection features a variety of structured but shape-hugging cuts, which are long overdue after decades of choosing between mumus and lycra. This trend of fashion expanding its size range is taking off all over the place. The current cycle of America’s Next Top Model features its most successful plus-sized contestant yet - and though Whitney’s personality may not be winning her many friends, her photos clearly demonstrate that a size 10 body and high fashion editorial shots are not mutually exclusive. At the same time, high-profile models like Crystal Renn are embracing their natural body shapes - and the fashion industry is taking notice.

Renn was even featured in a runway show by Jean Paul Gaultier in 2006, a nearly unprecedented achievement in plus-sized modeling. The unfortunate aspect of this gradual incorporation of larger body sizes into the fashion industry is that it may simply be a response, not to the reality of a variety of body shapes, but to the North American obesity epidemic. Feeling beautiful in your skin should not come at the sacrifice of health, but neither should the fashion industry continue to glorify such a narrow (pun intended) vision of the female body. The middle ground - fashion and health for all! - may be a utopian vision. But I sure hope it isn’t.

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