Motif organizes plus size Masterclass in Amsterdam and London on 19 and 21 november

Online knowledge hub Motif is hosting an exclusive Masterclass, Plus Size Reinvented, held in Amsterdam on 19 November 2019 and in London on 21 November 2019, as part of a seven-week online course specifically devised for designers, product developers, technical designers, pattern makers, merchandisers and buyers who want to understand the plus size market better and learn how to tap into the huge potential of this growing industry sector.

The leading online knowledge resource and e-learning provider for the apparel industry, Motif offers a range of interactive courses presented by experts from across the fashion supply chain, equipping users with actionable knowledge, creative and technical skills and new competencies that help transform their businesses and careers. Plus Size Reinvented, hosted by Alice Rodrigues, senior consultant at apparel business and product development consultancy Alvanon and expert in the plus size clothing segment, will help participants understand different body types and how the body grows across a size range, how to create clean fitting and balanced plus size patterns and garments and the best practices for adapting a straight size or inspiration sample to plus. Seven interactive online modules will delve into Rodrigues’ fit and balancing techniques, how to create a proportionate style and how to develop a sizing strategy to meet your companies’ plus size fashion needs, while the Masterclass provides an opportunity to tap into Rodrigues’ knowledge in person, analyse EU case studies as well as discuss the opportunities for your business in the future.

Plus size offers huge opportunities

Today’s plus size shoppers demand an industry that serves their needs with the same level of choice and attention to design and detail as their regular sized counterparts, and yet, this customer group is hopelessly under-served.

As body size diversifies, relatively few apparel brands and retailers are rising to the challenge and seizing the opportunities the plus size category offers – a market which is estimated to be worth 20 billion dollars and which continues to outpace other segments within the clothing industry. There is no shortage of surveys, metrics and obesity statistics which quantify and put into context the huge potential in the plus size sector. In the US alone, nearly 70 percent of women wear a size 14 or bigger, yet less than 20 percent of apparel is being made in those sizes. Other markets follow a similar pattern, with obesity rates across the UK and EU also on the rise.

According to Rodrigues, some of the key reasons behind fashion players’ reluctance to step up to the opportunities are often a lack of skills, resources and product knowledge, which all have negative implications on category development. There is evidently a knowledge gap in creating well-fitting plus product, particularly as it has been a niche market and often only an afterthought for straight size brands. “The skills required to successfully execute plus apparel are different than straight sizes. There are fit and construction techniques that are unique to the plus size body profile, and the details and construction may need to be adapted from a straight size style in order to achieve proper fit and styling”, says Rodrigues, who has spent 35+ years in the clothing industry and has worked on strategic product lifecycle projects with many of the world’s most successful plus-size brands, retailers and start-ups. Her vast expertise encompasses everything from garment construction, pattern making and fit development to product development and technical design.

In her first online plus size class exclusively available at motif.org, Rodrigues will share her hands-on process for creating stylish, high quality and well-fitting garments for the modern woman who wants fashion, not just larger sizes.

Registration for the online course and Masterclass, held on 19 November 2019 in Amsterdam at the Amsterdam Master Tailor Institute and on the 21 November 2019 in London at the Alvanon UK office, is now open and capacity is limited. The course will conclude with a webinar session scheduled in January.