High fashion for plus-size women: Isabel Toledo and Lane Bryant join forces on glamorous new collection that starts at size 14

  • Isabel Toledo is most famous for dressing Michelle Obama at the President's first inauguration in 2009

By Misty White Sidell

Fashion designer Isabel Toledo has unveiled a plus-size collection for clothing retailer Lane Bryant.

The limited-edition range, which hit the runway last week, is full of feminine skirts, printed sheath dresses, and elegant evening coats.

Mrs Toledo’s creations range in price from $60 for a T-shirt to $178 for embellished jackets, and have been produced for sizes 14 through 28.

Big premiere: Isabel Toledo's collection for Lane Bryant debuted last week with a full runway show
Big premiere: Isabel Toledo's collection for Lane Bryant debuted last week with a full runway show

Big premiere: Isabel Toledo's collection for Lane Bryant debuted last week with a full runway show

Logic: The designs are meant to offer women of larger sizes 'eccentric' and fashionable clothing options
Logic: The designs are meant to offer women of larger sizes 'eccentric' and fashionable clothing options

Logic: The designs are meant to offer women of larger sizes 'eccentric' and fashionable clothing options

Limited pieces from the line - designed in partnership with Mrs Toledo's husband and famed illustrator Ruben Toledo - are currently available in Lane Bryant stores, as well as on the retailer's site.

 

In an interview with Fashionista.com, Mrs Toledo expressed how she feels it’s her ‘duty’ to provide larger-sized women with ‘eccentric’ and fashionable clothing.

‘The liberty, the freedom, the right to be eccentric, to be their size, and to have the freedom or opportunity to enjoy fashion at any size…I can’t imagine not having that, so I feel a duty to provide it,’ she said.

Signatures adapted: Ms Toledo's design hallmarks for watercolor florals, feminine fabrics, and unorthodox color combinations were incorporated into the line
Signatures adapted: Ms Toledo's design hallmarks for watercolor florals, feminine fabrics, and unorthodox color combinations were incorporated into the line

Signatures adapted: Ms Toledo's design hallmarks for watercolor florals, feminine fabrics, and unorthodox color combinations were incorporated into the line

New shapes: The designer says that she was comfortable designing for the retailer because of its expertise in the plus-size market
New shapes: The designer says that she was comfortable designing for the retailer because of its expertise in the plus-size market

New shapes: The designer says that she was comfortable designing for the retailer because of its expertise in the plus-size market

The 52-year-old designer, who rose to fame after creating Michelle Obama’s ‘lemongrass’ ensemble for President Obama’s first inauguration, also expressed how she was completely comfortable in adapting her signature aesthetic to new silhouettes.

Lane Bryant’s expertise in plus-size clothes, she says, is the reason.

Mrs Toledo explained that ‘When I came to realize, the one thing I can do with Lane Bryant, they’ve got the size, they’ve got the proportion.

‘I was free to design without worrying about getting it right.’

The collection represents a growing push by Lane Bryant to offer its customers more fashionable designs.

Big break: While Mrs Toledo had already established a name in fashion, her breakout moment came in 2009 when Michelle Obama wore a 'lemongrass' ensemble of her design to President Obama's first inauguration

Big break: While Mrs Toledo had already established a name in fashion, her breakout moment came in 2009 when Michelle Obama wore a 'lemongrass' ensemble of her design to President Obama's first inauguration

The designer: Isabel Toledo, 52, is the first high-end designer to collaborate with Lane Bryant

The designer: Isabel Toledo, 52, is the first high-end designer to collaborate with Lane Bryant

The retailer, which operates more than 800 stores nationwide, just announced last week that it has partnered with French designer Sophie Theallet on a range of lingerie for its intimates line Cacique.

The collection will be priced from $19.99 for a pair of underwear to $108 for a corset.

It will hit stores this fall, with a second line being issued for spring.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Sad that this is considered "plus size". They all look very healthy and normal.

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Sizes start at US 14, not UK 14 (US sizes are significantly larger)

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Most of these girls don't look remotely 'plus-sized' just normal and healthy.

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these women look great! As a 5ft 8 size 14 woman, its refreshing to see more normal women on the catwalk

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Is 14 really seen as a plus size?? Oh please!!!!!

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Some of these dresses are beautiful!

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Is a Size 14 really classed as a plus size??? Something wrong here, surely!!!

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These women are NORMAL sized, not Plus sized! The crazy fashion world......

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Nice!

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Those models are hardly "plus size". They look like average women to me.

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