I honestly never thought I'd be in a position to interview anyone, never mind the stalwart of plussize fashion, Anna Scholz.
I had the pleasure to meet her at Plus London 2 last February:
Where we rocked her purple leopard print dress to show how amazing it looked on different sizes! She is a delight, and still so passionate about an industry she has been a part of for 15 years (roughly).
When I was offered the opportunity to interview her, I was blown away. Here is what we discussed:
K: These are exciting times in the plus size industry: what is
exciting you / inspiring you at the moment?
A: I am happy to see the voice of the plus size community
getting louder and stronger, there is much more involvement from bloggers and
‘real’ women within the industry. Collaborations between bloggers and designers
with companies like Simply
Be, Evans and Swimsuits for All are making sure that (plus size) women get products they actually want.
I am very much looking forward to the launch of our brand new
lingerie collection for Simply Be in Spring 14.
K: Are you likely to go down the route of some designers /
brands and utilise bloggers / your fan base more?
A: I loved having the blogger event in our studio as part of
Plus London Two and am hoping to be involved in Plus London Three as well. I am
always inspired by listening to people who look at our brand from a different
perspective.
Social media offers us a great exchange with our fan
base.
K: With plus size fashion being much more accessible at the
moment, will you return to selling your clothes in department stores, or will
you keep your brand an online brand?
A: It was not my choice to stop selling in department stores
like Harrods, Selfridges and Saks Fifth Avenue, unfortunately these stores all
closed their plus size departments.
I do believe that some
customers much prefer to shop in store and touch, feel and try on clothes with
the right guidance, and we still sell to a number of boutiques worldwide, which
offer that service.
Simply Be has also started to open a number of stores and is
looking to increase their number of stores throughout the year.
We are constantly working on improving our presence as an
online retailer and create the best possible shopping experience for curvy
women.
K: I am lucky to have a number of stores near me, so can vouch for the pleasure of shopping in store!
What is your favourite trend right now?
A: I love a bit of neon! Accessories, accents in prints or
whole garments!
Daisy Contrast Shoulder Flap Dress
Also adore the printed trouser suit.
Cotton Sateen Crop Trousers
Just wish the temperatures this summer would make it easier
to get the sandals out again!
K: What do you prefer to design - clothes that flatter, or
clothes that flaunt, or do you think clothes can do both?
A: Oh I think clothes can do both, as you want to flaunt your
own best assets and flatter at the same time. I am all about curve enhancing
and showing you off to your best potential.
I also keep in mind problem
areas and add a little pleat / ruching detail here or there to help out with
lumps and bumps.
Curvy women come in so many different shapes and sizes and
what suits one woman doesn’t necessarily suits the next, so when I design a
range, I try and keep different body shapes in mind so we have something for
everyone.
K: Do you design items with people in mind - thinking of Lisa
Riley being seen in your clothes a lot recently - have you ever thought
"Dawn French would look amazing in something like..." for example?
A: We do dress Dawn French as well :)
and funnily enough I have seen both of them a lot in our emerald green snake
tunic from last winter.
I don’t have particular celebrities in mind when designing,
but I do think about occasions and know we always need to throw in a few red
carpet dresses and standout pieces for different appearances.
K: Anna, it has been a pleasure, and one last question: You
appeared in British Plus Size Fashion Week - how was that experience, and do
you have any plans to feature there again next year?
A: I loved the networking at British Plus Size Fashion Week and
enjoyed the panel discussion. It was great to see so many people come together
and make the event a success. However the show was a little bit of a let down,
as the organisation was rather poor, but should they get a proper producer for
next time I am happy to be involved again.
There we have it, it was honestly an honour to be asked to do this and I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I did being involved in it!
Also, a word of advice - however well prepared you think your questions are, research more :)
Much love my lovelies,
K x
Thank you for a lovely interview. Regards Anna
ReplyDeleteLoved this! I'm aware of Anna Scholz in terms of having seen her clothes but didn't know much more about her so this was fab to read. xx
ReplyDeleteWell done!! :-D xx
ReplyDelete