As the demand for stylish plus-size womenswear continues to grow, online
premium retailer Navabi set out to help fulfill the appeal with the launch
of its debut premium in-house collection. To further help all women find
the perfect outfit, the e-tailer also launched a unique made-to-order (MTO)
service, with new collections from Manon Baptiste and Isolde Rothe
launching every week. In a nutshell, Navabi produces one sample per style
before offering it online and only when a customer places an order is the
item produced and shipping. With the whole process taking between 7 to 10
days, from order placement to delivery, the online retailer is able to
allow supply to meet demand. In order to learn more about Navai’s MTO and
in-house collections and pluz-size fitting, FashionUnited spoke to Navabi’s
co-founders and chief executive officers Bahman Nedaei and Zahir Dehnadi.
Bahman Nedaei: “Yes, navabi has its own sizing range for
its different own brand collections; we are in the business of listening to
and learning from our own customer’s responses. We’ve adapted to their
wishes for better fit and size accordingly, and base our sizing on the most
up-to-the minute market knowledge from external professionals. This places
us in the best position to develop and update our measurement charts on a
frequent basis.”
“That said we always do have the different body shapes (that constitute
plus sizes) in our mind. Additionally we are able to offer both Tall and
Petite size ranges for plus-size figures.”
Zahir Dehnadi: “Our general sizing range at navabi is
European size 42-56, but for some styles we size up to a size 60.”
BN: “We believe that women feel their most confident
when their clothes fit them flawlessly, which is why the team spends a
great deal of time with pattern cutters, technologists and size/fit models
to ensure each piece sculpts, smoothes, and showcases exactly what and as
you would expect it to. To sum up the main points for us as brand navabi
when it comes to fashion design are: Look, fit, comfort, workmanship,
fabrics, colours and accessories.”
ZD: “It’s very important to us as a brand that we are not
perceived as simply as plus-size player, but a credible fashion and online
tech/ecommerce brand that caters to a certain segment of the market with
the most cutting-edge in fashion. However we listen and learn from our
customers responses to ensure we cater to their needs when it comes to fit
accordingly.”
BN: “Yes, we are learning (and adapting) quite a lot
based on the comments from our models.”
ZD: “In a number of ways, firstly, we commit to doing ISO
9001 fabric testing for (harmful substances, pilling, seam slippage
strength, etc.) on all of our fabrics and materials before they come to
market. In addition, the team and the models perform their own tests
wearing the clothes themselves to give us anecdotal feedback on the
feelings and level of comfort of all of the garments. The in-house
designers also use the best and latest luxury fabrics that are available to
the market to ensure we are providing contemporary fashion.”
BN: “It’s very important to create a complete look from
head to toe. Christine Shaw, our head of design, for example, always starts
off with the silhouette in mind. This allows her to easily work out the
proportions and how each garment needs to be styled so it’s appropriate to
the customer, as well as fashionable.”
“Each season our fashion team does a lot of trend-led research, as we aim
to consistently offer our plus-size customers the same fashion-forward
trends that are currently available in the traditional fashion industry for
‘standard size’ customers. Currently the fashion industry tends to ignore
the plus size customer and fashion segment. Mass-market retailers either do
not offer the same trends as they do for “normal size” women. For those
that do offer collections in a greater range of sizes, they simply tack on
extra sizes to current collections as an afterthought. This option doesn’t
put the customer first.”
ZD: “We work right up to seasonal introductory deadlines
and tend to introduce key items quite close to the start of a given season.
This is especially true of our MTO process as it gives us the possibility
to include the latest and actual fashion trends and ‘buzz
making’ items within our collections. Within our MTO process we only
require about 1-2 months from the initial concept or idea to making it
available to our online customers.”
BN: “Generally no, but we are always interpreting the
latest trends in ‘the navabi way’ simply because we know our customers and
the plus size woman better than anyone else!”
ZD: “No, it is just a matter of interpretation and
proportions. Our choice of fabrics picks up on current trends and
fashion-led details, but it is also dictated by how the material feels
against the skin. I would say that the feel of a material is just as
important as its appearance. It needs to be soft enough for that exquisite
fall to be achieved, yet shouldn’t cling to the skin. It needs to sculpt
without adding volume or unnecessary bulk.”