XXL fashion is one of this year’s main topics at STYL and KABO. This fact is closely related to the demand of local customers who are often desperate to find the right clothing in size 42 and larger. The demand constantly exceeds the current offer. This is why the accompanying programme offers a variety of specialised events focusing specifically on the extra-large fashion.

For instance on Wednesday just before noon the exhibition catwalk at the V Hall hosted the “Oversize Show” followed by a hands-on seminar lead by a popular Slovak presenter and journalist Danica Raytchev, who trained on “How to advise chubby ladies with clothing”.

Danica Raytchev supplied the attendants with endless ideas and suggestions to plump ladies for a slimmer look, all illustratively demonstrated on models. Suitable designs, not too loose and not too tight, V-shaped necklines, bold necklaces and other jewellery taking the eye off the problem parts, high heels, straight-cut trousers, darker colour of tights, layered clothing – these are just some of the useful hints that were presented at the Brno workshop. And Danica went even a bit farther than that – under the skirts and blouses. “The correct choice of lingerie can produce a slimmer look and reduce the body volume by a whole size.”

The Oversize Show was a visual confirmation of these tips in real life. Eight brands were presented offering ladies’ models in extra large sizes. The introduction belonged to One O One Paris presenting the spring collection for 2011 and was followed by the ART FASHION company with its fashion design, Inter-ria with a range of knitwear, Abea with a nature-inspired collection for this year’s autumn and winter, Deny Zdeòka Kuøitková with leisurely elegant models, Draps presenting sportswear and leisure clothing, Hapel with light ladies’ clothing for all age groups and Tolerantní móda, which presented everyday streetwear as well as models for special occasions. “Our models strive to incorporate fashion features from smaller sizes such as 36 and 38 and applying them, in a feasible way, to the larger sizes in order to make them attractive, wearable, and flattering, not causing the wearers look bigger,” said Kateøina Martincová, one of the owners of Tolerantní móda studio.

It is interesting that all 40 brands that focus on XXL fashion and are presented at this year’s fashion fairs, specialise solely on ladies’ collections. “Yes we only do ladies’ fashion, probably because there are just women in our company and know our tastes and preferences,” says Kateøina Martincová, whose company started producing extra large sizes in 1998 and ten years ago went as far as size 62. XXL fashion for men thus remains an gap on the market – an open opportunity for next years of the fair but mainly for the manufacturers.

(26.8.2010, Jana Fuhrmannová)