Fashion has a history of being exclusive, but the current market is leaning toward denim brands that don’t discriminate. From Good American’s campaign featuring curvy models, to direct-to-consumer label Warp + Weft, which touts inclusive sizing, new brands are inviting all sizes to look their best.
Few brands, however, are focusing on providing cuts and fits specifically for plus-size women. With the average size of an American woman being 16, new brand RWN by Rawan is seizing the opportunity to fill that void.
Launched this year by Rawan Ghawi, former head of Forever 21 Plus Size, the brand offers women’s jeans size 10-32 and jeggings size large to 5X in classic cuts like skinny, bootcut and girlfriend.
On-trend details like step hems, embroidery, doodles and shadow patches offer variety, while a range of Tencel military jackets, tops and denim dresses round out the line. The collection retails online for under $100.
“I think there have been many misconceptions about what plus size customers want to wear and that’s one of the main reasons the market has been slow to respond,” Ghawi told Rivet.
Fit and fabrics are essential to Ghawi’s designs. “The line incorporates a variety of fabrications offering stretch, compression, drape, and surface character for wash effect and hand feel,” she said. “The recipe of merging the right style with the right fabric is key for us.”
Ghawi added, “The fabrics on their own are just fabrics, but when matched with the right silhouette they become vehicles for true style because we can accomplish the fit and look we were aiming for.”
Going into fall, Ghawi aims to elevate the collection with more fashion-forward elements like lace-up detailing, grommets and the addition of overalls.
While rigid denim is picking up steam in the women’s market, Ghawi said the brand is still working through fits and doing extensive wear testing with the fabrication. She pointed out that “nearly rigid fabrics” can accomplish a very similar look and feel.
“Fit is so important for plus, and making a non-stretch fabric hug a curve presents a huge challenge when it comes to accomplishing a flattering fit,” she said, adding, “That’s when the fit suffers. It is difficult to find the right combination of fabric and silhouette that works in the specs and shapes we need without losing the essence of the trend, but that’s what motivates my team the most.”