H&M US has announced the extension of its size assortment on the national market. Products ranging up to 2XL will be offered in stores for women and men, while the online shop will even offer sizes up to 4XL.
With the aim to be more inclusive for the plus-size community and to offer an accurate assortment of diverse fits and sizes, the retailer decided to get Tess Holliday on board.
The founder, activist and model has been involved in the process of model castings and decision-making when it came to stylistic choices, sharing her extensive knowledge of the plus-size fashion industry and helping to advocate the values of inclusion and diversity.
The inside information and education provided by Holliday helped the brand to make decisions on different levels, from design, to product development, marketing and communication.
“H&M embraces inclusion as a business imperative. H&M's evolution and progress on extended sizing reflects our commitment and focuses on challenges faced, progress made and more progress to come," said Donna Dozier Gordon, H&M's Head of Inclusion and Diversity for Region Americas.
The newly sized styles are available on H&M’s website.
Each season, Paris is the final stop on the fashion tour and, arguably, the most important. For the upcoming fall winter season fw23, designers showing in the French capital signaled a renewed respect for traditional tailoring. The four major trends all contained elements of the haute couture, with its focus on enhancing the shape of the body.
It’s all Greek
The French couturier, Madame Gres, is often attributed with creating the first ‘Grecian’ draped jersey gowns. Draping fabric to enhance female curves has endured to this day. A number of ultra glamorous looks were on display in Paris this season.
Atlein #15
Atlein fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
From Antonin Tron, an olive stretch jersey off-the shoulder top and a lilac satin floor-length draped skirt was shown with white hose and sandals.
Lanvin #41
Image: Lanvin fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
Bruno Sialelli showed a teal gown with an asymmetric shoulder-line and a metal detail. It was draped at the waist and accessorized with black boots embellished with heart shaped studs.
Rokh #18
Image: Rokh fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
Designer Rok Hwang showed a nude-colored floor-length ruched jersey dress. Knotting the fabric created an ultra-feminine silhouette. Gold jewelry and a brown tote completed the look.
Shoulder on
Tailored separates dominated the runways of Paris. For the most part, jackets had a masculine appeal with bold shoulder lines reminiscent of ‘eighties ‘power dressing.’
Balenciaga #11
Image: Balenciaga fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
From Demna, a double-breasted broad shouldered, grey plaid blazer and knickerbockers were shown with black sock boots.
Saint Laurent #6
Image: Saint Laurent fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
Anthony Vaccarello showed a broad-shouldered white jacket, over a knit top with a deep scoop neck and a straight black leather skirt. Accessories included silver hoops, black sunglasses, sheer black hose and pointy toed ankle strap shoes.
Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood #20
Image: Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood/Launchmetrics Spotlight
The designer showed a broad-shouldered blouson jacket and matching mini kilt in black, grey and red plaid. The look was accessorized with yellow and red print leggings with a black overlay and classic Westwood platforms.
Distress signals
Deconstructed and distressed knitwear can be traced back to the early designs of Martin Margiela circa 1990s; and in recent seasons has made a come-back. It was a common theme this time around in Paris.
Acne #29
Image: Acne Studio fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
Designer Jonny Johansson delivered a floor-length deconstructed moss green knit slip dress studded with crocheted florals and hanging threads. Matching sandals completed the look.
Off-White #24
Image: Off-White fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
Ibrahim Kamara showed a three piece set including a zip front turtleneck, pants and a tunic in laddered sweater knits in shades of orange, green and brown. The look was accessorized with yellow lizard boots and a yellow bag.
Alexander McQueen #34
Image: Alexander McQueen fw23/Launchmetrics SpotlightFrom Sarah Burton, a white cable sweater dress with a deconstructed front made up of knit ropes. The shoulders were exaggerated and the waist was incised. Accessories included large silver earrings and black ankle strap sandals.
She’s a lady
Perhaps as a counterpoint to three years of casual work-from-home wardrobing, designers offered up ladylike ready-to-wear items. Inspiration seemed to partly come from the long-lasting appeal of tweed and bouclé at Chanel.
Chloe #30
Image: Chloé fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
Gabriela Hearst showed a two-piece skirt suit in cream bouclé. The jacket was collarless and fastened with one gold button at the neck and the skirt was straight and mid-length. Both had a raw edge. A brown pebble leather hand held satchel and black platform boots completed the look.
Christian Dior #6
Image: Dior fw23/Launchmetrics Spotlight
From Maria Grazia Chiuri, a two-piece suit in black and white houndstooth check, reminiscent of the house’s designs of the ‘fifties. The four-button jacket was cropped over a mid-length pencil skirt. Accessories included black mid-calf ankle socks and spectator Mary-Janes.
The designer showed a black and white short tweed oversized coat and a minidress with intricate gold embroidery. Black hose and pointed toe slingbacks completed the look.
In the 21st century the style trends of the fashion industry dominate the world more than they ever did, and control not only the way people dress but also trends in home ware design, makeup fashion and people’s overall attitudes. In the 60s flower power did not only mean flares and tunics, it summed up the whole attitude of a generation, and this is even more prominent today.
Nowadays, fashion is bold and daring, and this reflects a noughties generation that is not afraid to say what they think, or wear what they want. Fashion is not just a means of clothing your body, it is the essence of your personality and beliefs, and designers are well aware of the power they hold. Designers’ predictions and designs for the coming season are more hotly anticipated than any other revelation in the world.
Trends in fashion unify women and men around the world, yet they still allow people the ability to portray their own individual style at the same time. A period of time portrayed in a picture can be identified immediately just by the style of clothes the people are wearing, and this sums up just how powerful and all-encompassing fashion is. Fashion can change from one second to the next, but what never changes is the hold it has over society, and the role it plays in the modern world. Fashion is so important that whole magazines are dedicated to it, TV programs dedicate hours of transmission time to the subject, and people discus it between their friends continually.
To keep up with the latest fashions, people subscribe to fashion magazines, keep a keen eye on what has appeared in shops and what has been there for a long time, and go to fashion shows to see what the designers are putting on the catwalk this season, and therefore what will make it in to the shops. For the extremely wealthy, they might have their own personal relationship with a designer who will keep them well ahead of the current trends, therefore, many people wanting to know what the new fashion lines are going to be will watch what celebrities are wearing. Being ahead of fashion is for many, the ultimate achievement, although being too ahead of the fashion is just as bad as being behind it! If you are too far ahead people will think what you are wearing is not in fashion, because it isn’t, yet.
Designers continue to market the importance they know people put on fashion, and people continue to hang on to designers’ every move in the fashion world, therefore as long as this carries on fashion will continue to maintain its dominant position in society for a very long time to come. It influences not only what we wear, but everything we do, say, and even think. This is why fashion does indeed rule the world.