About a year ago, I was unhappy with how all of these premium (i.e. expensive) denim brands were blowing off consumers above a size 10-12, or a 32" waist. And I know from experience that with a couple of exceptions, the bigger sizes were hard to find and were often cut for women who nevertheless had no butt or hips. El cheapo jeans are easy to find in larger sizes. The hot brands, washes, and cuts though? No dice. So those of us who wanted to wear 7 For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, True Religion, Rock and Republic, etc. did without, got them in men's sizes (I'll do a whole post about that sometime), and/or turned to premium plus brands like Svoboda.
Even so, I figured at some point somebody was going to cave and realize the money of the curvaceous customer is just as green as the skinny chicks' and that the brand overall won't be diluted if a gal with a bigger butt is wearing it. Today, that somebody is Paige Premium Denim which is now offering three styles of its jeans in women's sizes 14-24 for pre-orders on Nordstrom.com. Selected Encore departments at Nordie's will also carry the jeans beginning in August.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/6007094/0~2376776~2374327~6007059~6007094?origin=plus_shop
The bad news...these babies aren't cheap. The original Paiges are $175+, and these hover around the $200 mark.
The good news...it's a sign the fashion world is realizing that we want more options. Last week, Rachel Pally announced a plus sized line that will debut next spring. I'm sure other designers will follow, especially if these efforts are successful. What I love about these Paiges is that they look just like the basic jeans offered to the misses' market. (Paige Premium Denim is the only brand to go up to a 34" waist for its regular line.) Since the original versions are cut narrowly, I'm going to give the plus versions a shot. They will probably allow more room for the booty and hips. I pre-ordered the Mandeville Canyon in 16...if it runs a little big, I can always trade it for a 14.
Why do I think these designers are trying plus sizes? Some upstart brands making high-end, fashionable clothes for the larger misses/plus market have had great success. Svoboda went from selling almost exclusively online to selling at stores like Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus in less than three years. I also think that the premium denim market right now is extremely crowded; going for territory that's not as competitive might be a smart way to brush up those revenues.
Whatever the reasons, I think it's great news. I'm all for more choices for more people in every price range.
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