What will it take for fashion to become a more size-inclusive industry, from runway to shop floor? ELLE UK shines a light on the designers, models and advocates reimagining the body in fashion and pushing for a more size-inclusive industry for all.
'Empowering every type of woman' might sound like little more than another catch-all, faux-inclusivity marketing line, but for Belgian brand Ester Manas, it is a genuine raison d'être.
Founded in 2019 by Ester Manas and Balthazar Delepierre, partners in both life and work who met while studying at Brussels' prestigious La Cambre, Ester Manas is one of the most exciting young brands to come out of Paris Fashion Week in recent years – and by far the most size inclusive. Of the 80 shows of PFW Spring/Summer 2023, just nine included plus-size models: a damning indictment on the state of fashion today.
'We shouldn't be talking about size inclusivity in this day and age,' says Delepierre. 'Brands will put on curvy girl on the catwalk and think that's enough, but when you go into their shops, there's nothing that would even fit them. There's still a long way to go.'
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But it's not just about lofty ideals. 'As a size 44-46 customer, it's been really hard for me,' explains Manas. 'I always had the feeling that because I was big, I wasn't "invited" into the luxury world. So when it was time for me to work on my final graduate collection, there was no question that it would focus on size inclusivity. I wanted to try and change the attitude – not just for myself but for all women.'
In the absence of 'big enough' mannequins and patterns, Manas fitted her graduate collection on her own body – and developed techniques inspired by swimwear and lingerie to create clothes that would 'fit the body, rather than trying to make bodies fit the clothes.' Think stretch fabrics, clever ruching, smocking, and lots of strings, threads and lace for a boldly sensual feel – all devised to be one-size-fits-all, and largely crafted from deadstock and upcycled fabrics.
The reception was overwhelming. 'When the collection first came out, it was like a standing ovation,' recalls Delepierre. 'It was super emotional for everyone, and we realised we had to take our concept further.'
The industry stood up and paid attention: Ester Manas soon had the prestigious ANDAM Prize, H&M Design Award and Galeries Lafayette Prize under its belt, and reached the final stages of the LVMH Prize and the Hyères Festival. And in terms of stockists, the historic Parisian department store Printemps jumped at the chance: 'They were the first to say yes when everyone else said no,' recalls Delepierre.
Now, Ester Manas counts Lizzo, Shygirl, Paloma Elsesser and French actor Adèle Exarchopoulos among its fans, and has good few more high-profile stockists to boot. The brand's SS23 'Sunset Body' show was also a runaway success, focusing more on 'everyday-wear' for the first time to provide clothes all types of women can 'feel super fierce, bold, proud and sexy' in day-to-day. The show also gave a first glimpse into an upcoming collaboration with Ganni.
On a smaller (but no less important) scale, Manas and Delepierre are working to bring their size-inclusive vision to the fashion designers of tomorrow. 'When we were at fashion school, we didn't have mannequins in different sizes – so I had to make my own to ensure clothes would fit a wide variety of shapes,' explains Manas. 'One thing I'm really proud of is working with [art and design school] HEAD in Geneva to provide them with larger mannequins – and now they have them in sizes 44, 46 and 50. It's so important to form students with the mindset that this is the norm.'
But the most rewarding part of the job? 'We get a lot of amazing, positive feedback from customers and people who have come across the brand,' says Manas. 'Some emails are so long they are almost love letters!
'It's easy to think "oh, it's just clothes, we're not doing anything important" – but when I receive these messages, especially from fellow "big" girls, it means so much to me because it means we have changed something. We are contributing to self-love, and I think that is the most important goal in life.'
Clementina Jackson is Acting Site Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, working across news and features, trends, e-commerce and SEO. She was previously Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, and Acting Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, where she was named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner for her work on size inclusivity. An experienced fashion, travel and luxury lifestyle journalist, Clementina has also written for Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, Tatler, Red and Italy Segreta.
