ELOQUII, a retailer for women sizes 14+, and Refinery29, a global media and entertainment company for women, announced a crowdsourced fashion collection: The Weekender by Refinery29 x ELOQUII. Developed with insights gathered from a nationally representative survey among women sizes 12+, including 29 chosen Refinery29 ambassadors, the weekend wear collection contains 27-pieces and is available in sizes 12-28. The articles include jackets, dresses, tees, blouses, denim and skirts.
“For fashion to become truly more representative, it needs to be just as much about great inclusive style as it is about inclusive sizing,” said Christene Barberich, global editor-in-chief and co-founder of Refinery29. “Here at Refinery29, we’ve always believed in serving our audiences in the most inspired and authentic way possible, from our content to the experiences we offer, to defining initiatives like the 67% Project and Take Back the Beach. We’re so excited to partner with ELOQUII to push these boundaries even further by putting some of that unique design power directly into the hands of the women who will wear it and really bring it to life.”
The Weekender by Refinery29 x ELOQUII tries to fill a void for plus-size options. The collection is available on ELOQUII.com and in ELOQUII stores as well as through wholesale partners, Nordstrom.com, Stitch Fix, Gwynnie Bee and Refinery29.com.
The 29 chosen ambassadors, known as “The Weekenders,” provided input on every stage of the design process, from concept through final looks selection. Five of the ambassadors are even featured in the lookbook shoot.
“Partnering with Refinery29 to design a new collection that was not just made ‘for her’ but inspired ‘by her’ has been a highlight of my time here,” said Yesenia Torres, design director at ELOQUII. “Together, we gained insight from the community to identify a pain point in their wardrobe and offer a solution in the form of a chic, versatile collection that will cater to whatever the weekend throws her way.”
“The Weekender collection is rooted in the belief that plus-size women deserve to feel confident in her clothing,” said Laura Delarato, senior creative at Refinery29. “It was created through the intersections of design, style, data, and personal experience to fill the gap in her closet, tackling her style asks with care. And as a plus-size woman, I’m so proud to be a part of a program that will positively impact my community and my personal closet.”
