Impresssions - March 2017 - 25

GARMENT AND DECORATION COURTESY OF VAPOR APPAREL; PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS ALUKA BERRY, TUCKER, GA.

ALL ABOUT FIT

"The biggest [womenswear] trend for 2017
is about finding the garment that actually
fits your body," says Kristin Slinn, product
designer and creative marketing manager,
LAT Apparel. "Women are tired of having
to settle, and they want something that they
can look great and feel great in, and that
actually fits them properly."
The message from the market is that the
female customer can't be pigeonholed into
one fit. "Everyone's version of the 'go-to tee'
is diff erent," says Elyse Bonner, marketing director, Simplex Apparel. Real-world
women are looking for apparel that is both
practical and flattering - but what fits that
criteria may vary greatly from customer to
customer.
"Women are not always interested in a
unisex cut or a super-feminine tee," Bonner
says. "We want relaxed bodies that fit well.
Since we all have different body types, mills
have been tasked with off ering products
that work for everyone."
LAT Apparel, for example, offers many
diff erent shapes and sizes ranging from
fi tted juniors to semi-fi tted modern, relaxed classic and full-figured curvy ladies'
fits. "Women ultimately want to feel good
and look good in what they are wearing,"
Slinn says.
With a new focus on comfort, silhouettes
have moved away from "bodycon" styles toward a more natural shape that is contoured
instead of tight-fitting. "The silhouette is
loose-fitting, with oversized shoulders and
sleeves that can be rolled up or can hang
long and flowy," says Shelley Foland, CEO,
Boxercraft. "Many times, you will see this
referenced as a boyfriend tee, rather than
the extra-small 'baby-doll' tee."
According to Lisa Shaw, vice president,
One Stop, the renewed passion for loose
silhouettes in T-shirts and tank tops is esNew-to-market apparel
lines offer sizes and
silhouettes for women
with curves.
Photo courtesy of
LAT Apparel.

pecially apparent in the collegiate markets.
"[They are] a nod to the '80s fashion," she
says.
Younger customers also have driven changes in hemlines. "With the rise in leggings,
skinny jeans and pants over the past five
years, hemlines of favorite tees grew longer
- and have stayed long - for a complementary look," Shaw says.

Soft, cozy fabrics and
silhouettes are important
in the womenswear
market. Photo courtesy
of Boxercraft.

SPORTY CHIC
"Women are expecting the blank-apparel
market to step it up in terms of fashion,"
Slinn says. "They want trendy and seasonally appropriate colors, and they also want
styles that are relevant to what is going on
in fashion."
When it comes to fashion, no term
is more relevant than "athleisure." The
trend, which shows no signs of slowing down,
has had a profound impact on the wholesale channel, specifically in womenswear.

Plus Sizes
With the recent launch of lines such as Curvy by LAT Apparel and
Just My Size by Hanes, the imprintables industry has finally
tapped into a long-underserved group of womenswear customers.
"Over 67% of American women are a size 14 or above, which means
that the majority of the American female population identify
their silhouettes in the 'curvy' sizing category," says Kristin Slinn, product designer and creative marketing manager,
LAT Apparel.
The Curvy line features sizes 1 (14-16) through 4 (26-28) and
five styles, including a jersey tee, V-neck jersey tee, jersey
tank, baseball jersey and French terry pullover.
"The Curvy collection was specially tailored to accentuate the
positive of the curvy physique with an A-line cut to enhance her
silhouette, necklines specially designed to flatter her curves,
longer lengths to complement her figure and new ComfortStretch
premium jersey to find her shape," Slinn says.
Hanes' Just My Size has been serving plus-sized women at retail
for more than 25 years, but made its debut in the wholesale
channel this past January.
Sizes XL-5XL are available in two styles - V-neck and crew - and
six colors. "The tees in this collection are drawn directly
from our styles and experience with the plus-size consumer at
retail," says Marcus Davis, manager of product development for
Hanes. "There is a need in this market for women's plus-size
apparel that is made specifically for her. While there are unisex tees that are upsized, they are not designed for the curves
of a plus-size shape. Customers are excited to have a stylish,
fit-appropriate solution for this market."

MARCH 2017

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Impresssions - March 2017

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