The bigger picture

Any reader larger than a size 12 - that is, probably the majority of you - will not need to be told how difficult finding fashionable clothes can be. Actress Dawn French called the clothing company she co-founded 1647 because 47 per cent of all women are sized 16 or over. What is more, the nothing-to--buy situation is likely to become worse unless there is a radical change in the kind of stock carried by most shops. According to research carried out in Britain in 1996, the proportion of women who are size 16-plus is set to grow at twice the rate of the adult population as a whole in the years ahead. In other words, more large-size women will soon be chasing the same limited range of (often not very attractive) stock.

One fundamental problem lies in the sizing itself. Clothing sizes were last set half a century ago, since when the entire western European population has grown taller and broader thanks to better health and the consumption of more food.

While the average shape has altered, the means by which it is measured has not. The result: many more women now take larger sizes and manufacturers often fail to take this into account when designing and producing their ranges. Women's clothes are usually made with tall, thin, wearers in mind, so their larger sizes tend to look out of proportion. This is not least because of the fundamental truth that clothes tend to be seen at their best on those taller, thinner-than-average women - who would still be gorgeous clad only in discarded rags, in fact. This is why models are invariably of the tall and thin variety; clothes hang well on their bodies. While designers keep these proportions in mind, women requiring larger sizes will always face problems. The most important shift must be one of outlook - when clothes are being created, the shape of the person who will eventually wear them must be borne in mind. Irish women will therefore give an enthusiastic welcome to designer Ro Molloy, herself a generous size 14, who has turned to producing larger-size ranges. Originally from Omeath, Co Louth, Molloy has had a diverse designing career since she first went to work for the Traffic label some 13 years ago. Since then, she has been employed as a designer by Watercolours, Michael H and Lisa Lovell, but always bore in mind her own ambition to start a business - and the difficulty of finding fashionable clothing in her size. That second point is worth stressing; while ranges specifically created for larger sizes have always been available, traditionally, inherent stylishness has been a low priority. Bluntly, the dress as encompassing tent has too often been the abiding characteristic of large-size clothing. Not only has the creative element been weak, but so too have the fabrics, with nastier synthetics predominating.

Ro Molloy set up her label, Direction, precisely to tackle these problems. Although the name was registered two years ago and her first collection appeared last autumn, this is the first season the full range will be on offer. The label is meant to have all the elements of a seasonably fashionable range, without compromise. As Molloy says: "I'm determined not to put elastic at the back of skirts and trousers; I want to wear clothes cut in a modern way and in a modern fabric just like any other person." Direction therefore features dresses in double-layer georgette prints and suiting in a stretch viscose just like those found in other collections. The shapes, too, reflect those currently in vogue.

But the collection is not just contemporary style in a larger-than-average size. Instead, it takes into account the specific requirements of its market. Jackets, for example, tend to be cut longer to accentuate body height; they also button low on the bust for the same purpose. Similarly, the neckline on dresses sits deep, thereby drawing attention to the shoulders and throat. Direction is not about trying to hide supposed failings, but about celebrating strengths. For that reason, Ro Molloy hopes the collection will be stocked not by retailers specialising in large sizes, but by ordinary women's clothes shops where Direction is for sale along with other labels. So far, this has been the case.

Prices, too, are intended to reflect those being charged by other fashion-conscious collections, with suits costing around £200-£250 and dresses £80£90.

Ro Molloy deserves to succeed because she is trying to help a group of customers too often overlooked. That group is growing ever larger and in this country it would do well to follow Ro Molloy's Direction.

Direction is available at Principles, Grafton Street, Dublin; Chic Boutique, Listowel, Co Kerry; and O'Hagan's, Leixlip, Co Kildare. For further information, telephone 01 670 3089.