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.
Having just launched Net-A-Porter's first-ever size-inclusive occasionwear collection, the Lebanese designer Dima Ayad is proving that luxury and extended sizing can – and should – go hand in hand.
Founded a decade ago, Ayad's namesake brand was 'born out of pure frustration'. 'I was in Mykonos for a friend's wedding,' she explains. 'I was a bridesmaid, but my luggage didn't arrive. I never made it to the wedding because there were no clothes for me on that island. I have always been bigger and taller than most, and have struggled to find well-fitting clothes my entire life – but that was the final straw. I went back home and had a lightbulb moment. I thought: "I'm sick of this. It's time that I create clothes that suit my body."'
Despite having no formal fashion education or experience in the industry – she was a high-flying marketing VP at the time – Ayad went to work, designing the clothes she had always dreamed of wearing and working with couturiers to bring them to fruition. 'My education was being a woman,' she says. 'I know what suits me because I've spent so much time studying my body. I had to take the time to think about construction and materials and cut because I couldn't buy anything off the rack.'
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As she wore her creations to all the various galas and glamorous events that were such a big part of both her career and culture – 'in Lebanon, you don't repeat the same outfit twice,' she says – interest from friends and family was overwhelming. Launching a collection was the obvious next step.
'A store in Dubai took it, and it sold out instantly,' she recalls. 'I still can't understand why brands are so hesitant to realise that women of all sizes want to wear beautiful clothes – and they have the money to spend on them. I've had so many Pretty Woman moments in shops, where I'm going: "I have money to spend in here, why don't you want to take it?" It's crazy. Just make the sizes and let us buy the clothes!'
Ayad's unique combination of real size inclusivity and bold, colourful designs that go against the societal concept that 'bigger people should hide themselves in dark colours' quickly made her brand a go-to in the Middle East. 'Our return rate is so low,' she says. 'People know that when there's an occasion or event, they should come to us.'
And if that alone wasn't enough to convince Net-A-Porter to work with her on a size-inclusive line, Ayad also drew up a document filled with stats to argue her case. 'Whenever a new collection arrives online, whether Christopher John Rogers or Norma Kamali or Lanvin, it's always the 46s, 48s, XLs and XXLs that sell out first. I told them to test this out for themselves. I know it's true from personal experience, because when we find something in our size, we'll get it in every colour and every brand.'
The numbers speak for themselves. Since dropping on the site last week, Dima Ayad's five exclusive designs have sold like hotcakes in sizes both big and small –and have even found a fan in Ashley Graham, who fronts the brand's new High Summer campaign.
'Let's be honest: Ashley is so far-fetched for a brand like mine,' laughs Ayad. 'She's a huge celebrity, an icon, the world is her oyster... But she agreed to do it for the cause. It was a complete game-changing moment for me. She even sent me a card with flowers after the shoot to thank me. I'm still in shock.'
Ashley Graham's seal of approval is important for far more than just clout, however. 'I remember seeing her on the cover of ELLE a few years ago, talking about confidence,' recalls Ayad. 'That was a really big moment for me because finally I was seeing someone with a body similar to mine who was owning it, with confidence and looking amazing in designer clothes. It's so important to see this representation in magazines and on TV. It makes you feel like you fit in.'
With a global stockist like Net-A-Porter under her belt and Ashley Graham as the face of the brand, Dima Ayad is poised to bring the joy of size inclusive clothing to an even bigger audience.
'Women wear my clothes to some of the most important events of their lives,' she says. 'Clothes are not just clothes. They have the power to make you feel amazing and give you confidence – and to do that they have to fit well. How much more would we enjoy these events if we weren't worrying about being uncomfortable the whole time? Weren't readjusting our boobs every five minutes, or struggling to breathe in a super-tight corset? Why do we think it's ok to suffer like that? It's just a misery.'
'This campaign is my opportunity to really make some noise about size inclusivity. I want to be a voice to encourage other designers to do what I'm doing, to encourage Net-A-Porter to invest in more size-inclusive lines, and prove with the sales that luxury brands are missing out on huge revenue if they don't make clothes in larger sizes. I don't want to be the only option for size-inclusive formalwear. My dream is that one day, I can go on Net-A-Porter and be able to buy clothes in my size from any that brand I want.'
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Dima Ayad Glittered Plissé-tulle Gown And Cape Set
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.
