Originally published on The Daily Front Row. Written by Ashley Baker. Excerpt below, read entire post here.
When you started your brand 20 years ago, you were really revolutionary in terms of your approach to sizing. Will you please explain that, and what inspired you to pursue your own sizing method?
I started the Shoshanna collection out of my own frustration at not being able to wear clothes straight off the rack. Either I had to heavily alter garments or even add additional fabric to make things more wearable for my body. I can’t tell you how many times I had tried something on, but because it wasn’t bra friendly, I couldn’t wear it. I knew I wanted to design pieces that fit women, especially for those who had the same problem as I did. Every dress was designed to be wearable with a bra or featured its own support. I worked with my factories to develop interior bustiers that were sewn into my dresses. These provided all the support you would need to forego a bra. It was one of the first collections in the contemporary market to really think about and be more inclusive of women’s body types. In 2001, I launched my first-ever swim collection. At that time in the industry, almost all bikinis were sold as sets. I for one did not fit into this industry ‘standard’ and knew I was not alone… so why were we being forced to buy swimwear that way? I wanted to design a bikini that fit as perfectly as my bras did and that let women choose their corresponding bottom size… Can you imagine if someone made you buy your bra and underwear as a set? What is the corresponding bottom of a triple D top? I studied the construction of all of my favorite bras and incorporated their features into my swimwear design. We now offer over 15 different bikini styles all sized by your bra cup.