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 […]
After a few years of attending CURVEXPO here in New York, everything starts looking a little identical. I tire of the same brands producing the same styles in new colors every year. Unless it’s something I would personally love to wear, it’s hard for me to keep focus. Luckily, designers seemed to be a little more adventurous this season. Maybe they’ve realized making the same bland t-shirt bras every year won’t guarantee sales. […]
