Sew News Articles

Contact Person:

Corinne Cordoni

604-274-3276

fax 274-3274

sewing@sewgrand.com

Corinne Cordoni and Dennis Falcon announce the opening of their new Vancouver, B.C area mail order and Internet business, Sewgrand Patterns, in January 1998.   Sewgrand Patterns has a commitment to provide excellence in fit, fashion and professional results for home- sewing enthusiast in specialty sizes 12 to 26 and an American average height of 5’4". The Sewgrand customer is creative, expert sewer; she often is a dressmaker and/or has been sewing for 10 to 30 years. She is busy, and fed up with constantly needing to adjust the too-small bust size and ill-fitting necklines from most pattern companies.

Sewgrand has addressed many of these concerns by:

• drafting the woven patterns in a DD bust size and longer length in the shoulder blade-to-neckline area
• drafting the patterns in size 22
• grading the tops so the neckline fits
• providing industrial sewing techniques wherever practical; for example, pockets, zippers and linings
• providing knit patterns that can be sewn in 1 hour or less

This first collection is focused toward seasonless lifestyle dressing. There are 15 award-winning designs that mix and match wovens with "slinky" knits to provide wearable options for busy lifestyles. When accessorized correctly, these combinations work well for corporate casual or weekend wear. The woven designs feature a reversible vest that provides an excellent canvas for surface design, casual pleated pants with tummy-hiding stitched down front pleats, several versatile shirt jackets, a short skirt, unlined blazer and raincoat with detachable hood. The knits feature 3 tops, a pair of shorts, pants and leggings.

The prices range from $10.95 US/$16.45 for simpler patterns, such as knit pants, $12.95 US/$19.45 CDN for blouses, skirts and pants, and $14.95 US/$22.45 for more involved patterns, such as a lined raincoat.

Each pattern includes 4 sizes, L to 2X for the knits and 8 sizes, 12 to 26 for the wovens. Patterns are printed on continuous sheets of 20 pound bond paper and come with a handy re-sealable plastic bag and complete illustrated instructions.

Sewgrand may be contacted on it’s North American toll free order line1-800-252-8872 or website at www.sewgrand.com.

There were no tummies on view at this year’s Kwantlen University College Fashion Design and Technology year-end fashion show. Last year’s student designs exposed midriffs in their often-teen-oriented collections. This year, while there was still a sense of fun, there seemed an awareness that all ages and sizes wear and, most importantly, buy clothes.

The Sewgrand customer, she says, "has been sewing for 10 to 30 years," is also busy and "fed up with constantly needing to adjust bust sizes and the too-large necklines from most pattern companies."

Sewgrand’s first collection is produced in a pocket-sized pattern booklet ($2). This season it features a reversible vest, pleated pants, shirt jackets, short skirt, unlined blazer and a raincoat in woven fabrics, as well as tops, shorts, pants and leggings in a knit fabric.

Pattern prices range from $6.50 to $12. Sale is through mail order, local calls (274-3276) and long distance (1-800-252-8872). The catalogue is also online at www.sewgrand.com.

Visit Sewgrand patterns at the Sewing & Crafts Show, Sheraton Inn, Surrey, booth 72, March 6-8."

Big can be fashionable, according to two local women who are trying to expand the large and super-size clothing selection for ample women.

"There are certainly lots of large women in high positions. I have no problem selling $400 designer dresses," said Suzanne Bell, president and partner in Suzanne Bell’s Fashions.

Despite Wal-Mart’s presence in the up-to-size-44 garment market, large women still don’t have the same selection as smaller women, said Bell, whose shop specializes in sizes 16 to 60. She carries a range of clothing from lingerie and fitness wear to casual and business clothing, some manufactured locally in North Vancouver.

Because the range of choice for ample women is so narrow, she has to send clients looking for specialty wear such as bridal and mother-of the-the-bride outfits to a store in Seattle. Large-size retailers have their own informal network.

Because selection in large sizes, particularly in what she calls "super-sizes" is so slim, her best advertising venue has turned out to be Where Vancouver Magazine for tourists. Women who need larger sizes, which Bell estimates is more than 30 per cent of all women in North America, have so few options they make a point of searching out her store at East 41^st Avenue and Victoria Drive.

"I have a Chicago doctor who is a good customer of mine," said Bell. When the doctor visited Vancouver "she spent thousands in the store, saying, ‘You just don’t find things like this.’ She’s at the top end of the size range"

After customers discover Bell’s shop they often order by phone for more.

Bell opened her shop at the Victoria Drive location six years ago. She had taught fitness and ran a small outlet to supply fitness clothing to large-size women. The demand for clothing in that size category was so strong she decided to open a store. Her gross revenues are nearly $1 million a year

(emphasis ours) Corinne Cordoni is approaching the large-size market from another direction: sewing patterns. She launched Sewgrand Fashion Designs (sic) earlier this year to make and sell clothing patterns of her own designs in sizes 12 to 26. She plans to expand her line to size 40 in response to customer demand. In dressmaking measurements, a size 40 is a woman with about a 62-to-64 inch bust.

Cordoni, who studied fashion design at Kwantlen University College is well aware of the dearth of fashions available to larger-size women. Bell, who wears a size 26-28, does public speaking to encourage large women to have a better self-image.