IN three weeks' time, the international collections circuit starts up once again and, without a doubt, soon after will come the renewal of an ongoing debate about the unhealthy weight of some fashion models. Whatever about the rights or wrongs of promoting extreme thinness as a female ideal, the reality is that the model shape in no way conforms to the norm. Tiny size eight figures may be the required shape on the catwalk, but they are something of a rarity on the street.
While there is little specific information available on this subject here, in Britain statistical research has indicated that just over 36 per cent of all women are size 16 or larger. Yet a great many of these same women are liable to complain, with justification, that finding fashionable clothing of a comfortable fit is consistently difficult. Which is why the English chainstore Evans has managed to secure such a loyal following.
First launched by clothing manufacturer Jack Green in 1920, Evans is now Britain's largest specialist in size 16 plus women's clothing with 250 retail outlets and 50 concessions in its own country, here in the Republic, the company opened its first shop in February 1992 and now has branches in Dublin, Cork and Limerick, as well as one in Belfast.
This season, Evans is relaunching the Profiles label, a division which particularly concentrates on smart clothing which will suit both women looking for items appropriate to special occasions and professional careerists who need outfits for the workplace.
But beware of imagining that Profiles is somehow smarter than Evans's Essence or East Coast ranges. Company managing director Andy King is keen to stress that all Evans clothes are equally stylish in their different ways because that's what his customers demand. "We're very much a fashion retailer which specialists in the 16 plus market," he emphasises. "I wouldn't expect to see any difference between our shops and any other mainstream fashion chain."
While Essence, he says offers a core range of garments and East Coast is more casual in spirit, Profiles tends to provide a generous choice of separate pieces which can be mixed together according to individual taste and need. According to Mr King the typical Profiles customer will be "slightly more discerning, looking for something specific with better quality fabric."
Looking through the range which is on sale at the moment, the fashionability of Profiles is immediately apparent. There's plenty of this season's favourite colours chocolate brown and camel, used for generously pleated mid calf length skirts (£70) and matching short sleeved tops (£40).
Just as stylish are the black zip front jackets with faux astrakan collars priced at £80 and the long shift dresses printed with red irises on a black backdrop (£60).
None of the clothes are too expensive - silky T shirts in viscose for £40 and palazzo pants at the same price - making the option of buying several inter working pieces that much easier.
EVANS obviously understands that this is what the 16 plus customer wants because the company, part of the Burton group for the past 25 years, has experienced constant and steady growth. The next Evans shop to open here will be in the new Blanchardstown centre next month and Andy King says that outlets in Galway and Waterford are also being considered. While the market for 16plus clothing has expanded, he argues that still more significant has been "an attitude change among women themselves. 16 plus sizes say they consider themselves as normal and have the same needs as anyone else. There's more interest in being fit and healthy as you are then conforming to a certain size."
At the end of the year, Evans will be introducing an additional line aimed at the younger end of the size 16 plus market which has not until now received very much attention from manufacturers. In the meantime, next Friday former Daily Telegraph journalist Kathryn Samuel will be conducting a special workshop using items from the latest Profiles collection at the Evans shop on Dublin's Henry Street. It's indicative of just how great the demand is for good clothing in larger sizes that all the places on this workshop have been taken up already.