Crains wakes up and smells the coffee.

The is an interesting article in Crain' New York Business.com entitled "Plus sizes a fashion victim." In the article it talks about the fact that most of the designers and department stores have cut back on their plus sized departments because of the recession. They quote the fact that plus sizes "cost 10% more than standard lines and require additional fabrics and special fit models and patterns." All of which is true but the real fact is that they don't want to be bothered in the first place. There is a lot of money to be made but a lot of designers scorn plus and don't want plus women to be wearing their clothes. It is a fashion prejudice pure and simple. Many designers will just grade up from a missy pattern to sizes 10 through 16 and have a plus size that is totally off. So they get complaints about their fit and feel it is not worth it. That is why we only stock the few lines that do it right. With "plus" fit models and the proper grading. And it is why we have been very successful with the small private label line we have been developing with Olivia Harper that has really been selling remarkable well. This is clothing for the business woman from 30 to 50 years old who is from a size 10 to a size 28. So I hope more people will search us out at Lee Lees Valise because we have the clothes for them. If only they will look for them.