In the lingerie and apparel industry, sample garments are an everyday part of the production process. But for consumers, samples and the idea of a “sample size” are fraught with emotion. As the internet lifts the veil between the customer and the design team, more consumers are seeing samples in action and wondering: Why do they not sample in my size? If a brand makes samples in a small size, […]
A funny thing about looking back at some of my work from last year is having a new understanding of just how unfocused I was on pretty much everything except book writing (and moving). Usually, TLA does a big, comprehensive trend preview full of photos that goes up a couple of months after Curve. But last year? Well, apparently I forgot my camera? And I didn’t meet with as many […]
Wow, 2017 really got away from me. At the beginning of the year, I felt extremely confident about being able to both write a book and also keep to TLA’s regular posting schedule. Turns out I was naive. So, so naive. A book is a ravenous, jealous beast that will devour all your time and energy and then some. And while I feel truly blessed and fortunate to have been […]
Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links. In late February, I attended my first CURVEXPO New York to report on trends for plus size lingerie. Previously, I’ve attended CURVEXPO Las Vegas and other major retail tradeshows as a buyer. Therefore, I was familiar with what to expect as a plus size woman: lots of pretty things not made in my size. Armed with that awareness, I set out to find […]
I’m officially bored of bras. So this year, the only trade show Jess and I have been to is Africa Fashion Week. Like the supposedly international London Fashion Week, the organisation was a bit erratic, all the staff wore black, and someone shilling hair products chased me around. Jess was chased by someone who specialises in large size ladies footwear, so full marks to everyone’s marketing, at least. Unlike LFW, […]
