The average woman in America is above a size 14, according to a recent article in Women’s Wear Daily. Based the findings of a survey by the market research firm Mintel, 68 percent of adult women in the U.S. said they normally buy clothing with a size 14 or larger.
With women’s waistlines increasing, it’s baffling that many designers have not added larger sizes to their lines. I’ve always said Diane von Furstenberg’s wrap dresses would fly off the shelves should she ever increase sizing to a 20W. Plus size women want more fashionable and on-trend pieces and are willing to shell out the money to look good. Which is why The Limited’s latest initiative to design a contemporary plus size collection, Eloquii, is getting so much buzz.
We spoke exclusively with Jodi Arnold, vice president of design for eloqui by The Limited about the exciting plus size collection giving women chicer options for both work and play. Jodi told us that eloqui by the Limited originated out of the frustration of plus sized women who had been fans of The Limited’s career and cocktail option but could no longer fit into their sizes. The president of the company, along with executives decided to create an entirely new label that would fit larger sized women.
“Today’s plus size woman is taking more fashion risks,” says Arnold. “She is edgier than The Limited customer and is willing to pay to look good.”
The plus-sized clothing market has limited offerings for women, with main stream designers refusing to expand their size chart. Many say they cannot afford to use more fabrics or that they were not taught to design clothes for larger sized women. eloquii by The Limited dispels all those statements by creating a collection of clothes constructed to fit full figured women. The current offering includes career wear, cocktail wear, shape wear and hosiery.
Arnold says one of their biggest sellers is their wrap dress – take note DvF – which is now being offered in different colors, fabrics and prints. Each piece in the eloquii by The Limited collection is made for the full-figured woman and not just a piece from The Limited remade in larger sizes.
“The eloquii woman wants to see structures that fit her body shape. She loves showing off her waist because its usually the smallest part of her body,” said Arnold.
The brand has also made it easier for women to shop for pieces to fit their body with their Shape My Style tool on the website. Shoppers simply click on one of five shapes, answer two quick questions to get your ideal shape and recommendations on items that would suit your shape.
eloquii by The Limited is available nationwide via its standalone website, eloquii.com but for those who would rather go in-store, there are six ‘shop in shop’ boutiques in Water Tower Place in Illinois; Castleton Square in Indiana; Mall of Louisiana in Louisiana; The Somerset Collection in Michigan; St. Louis Galleria in Missouri; and The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Virginia, which opened its newly renovated store with over 5,600 square feet of space last Friday.
With the success of eloquii by The Limited, Arnold says the brand will be expanding into other categories including swim, classic cuts, curvy cuts and fits. The brand might also get its own stand alone stores in the near future. For more information on eloquii by The Limited, go to www.eloquii.com.
