Ask Adam – Curve Fashion Q&A with Scarlett & Jo

Every Friday Adam will be talking more about Scarlett and Jo and answering your questions!

I get so many questions about fit and sizing, that I thought it’s high time I explained more about Advanced Fit Technology™, the fit and design and how they differ.

To put it simply, Advanced Fit Technology™ is engineering. The women we design for and the fabrics are our passion and inspiration. 

When we first started Scarlett and Jo, we found that while the mannequin or model display sizes were a 10, the average size of a woman in the UK is a size 16.

At S&J we have recognisable silhouettes, a signature look.  Such as the miracle top, the fit and flare tunic, magic bands and the powerfit® bodycon.  They are the engineering part of our designs, the unique parts that help to create a silhouette that makes you feel confident while maintaining comfort.

As designers, we are mostly taught about fit on a standard size 10 or 12. When we started having fit sessions for S&J we quickly realised that body shapes were the same but not the same. All bodies have lumps and bumps, its just the way bodies are. To some extent, high street fashion follows the catwalk principles of “fit”. This doesn’t always work well when dealing with the average body going up in size or a different shape other than the standard hourglass figure. In fact, the high street does a representation of trend or clothes walking up a runway on a size 0 hanger.

The approach we had at the beginning of scaling up (meaning making clothing by just increasing the size), as most fashion lines tend to do, just didn’t have the right aspect shape or look that we wanted. We want gorgeous clothing that makes every woman feel like a million dollars. In other words, garments that showcase YOU.

So we did something completely revolutionary.

We talked to you, women who were our potential customers.

We learned.

We changed our total outlook and mindset from talking with you.

So we went back to the beginning and thought about the things we had learned from you that were important.

Which came down to...

Comfort/confidence:

We all have that item of clothing that makes us feel amazing, and we found that because you’re comfortable and you look amazing, you feel confident, and stand taller. Everything stems from comfort.

So by using our Advanced Fit Technology™, and incorporating that into the design, our clothing is engineered to bring you comfort and make you feel fabulous and feel more confident.

Fit/Design:

We researched and spoke to many curvy women and we were told that clothing bought in plus sizes often didn’t fit and if they did, they didn’t flatter. They didn’t feel right or make you feel good. So we work with fabric that works with your body, the lengths, and the design, we built in tolerance for when you are sitting, standing or bending so the fit isn’t restrictive. Consistently we are told our products are true to size if a tad generous. We rather you size down.

Wearable:

We make clothing for every occasion;

• Smart work clothing
• Party and evening dresses 
• Separates for casual and smart occasions
• Clothing that's easy to wear. Dressed up or as is

Next week, I’ll be talking more about our designs and how we work with different shapes and heights... Keep an eye out!