One of the things we celebrate at Thrive is the ability to be in tune with our bodies. We are taught to love ourselves for who we are and what we look like. As we come out of the pandemic, we may need to come to terms with the effects of all that staying in.
Unfortunately, it is harder to do that when the clothes don’t fit right or are simply unflattering due to conventional design thought processes. It’s tough to be confident when there is awkward pinching in all the wrong places.
“Size does not matter; proportions are everything.”
– Vivienna Lorikeet
There is a significant need for plus-sized luxury fashion, with growth of this segment far outstripping the growth of the regular fashion industry. However, it may not come as a surprise that plus-sized consumers are typically left out during the dress design process.
The Vivienna Lorikeet brand seeks to rework luxury fashion’s mindset about plus-sized design: Instead of upsizing existing patterns created for size zero people, the brand produces high-quality, fabulous luxury designs based on first-hand experience and client feedback over time. Developed to enhance a woman’s natural beauty – no matter the size – the brand helps women love who they are without restraint.
“On a global scale, I want to show the world that Australia is fashion forward and an inclusive country, accepting of all shapes and sizes.”
– Vivienna Lorikeet
To kick off her campaign for the curve, Vivienna debuted her Luscious Beauty collection at the March 2021 Melbourne Fashion Festival. The collection was filled with cocktail and evening womenswear designed for the exclusively16-18 sized models, and the collection goes up to size 30 as well.
High-end luxury fabric acts as the foundation of the collection’s dresses, providing an enveloping, inviting feeling of comfort and magnificence. Body-sculpting designs tailored to a curvy woman’s proportions combined with a variety of patterns continue to enhance the silhouette, perfect for looking great from any angle.
The carefully selected colors, necklines, sleeve lengths, and other features goes even further in creating an amazing curvy aesthetic. The overall package helps women look slim, feel confident, and exude elegance in any situation they find themselves in.
“I want to grow a runway tradition that showcases specifically curvy women and fashion. The more people see it in its most fashionable way, the more people will get used to it therefore accepting it gradually.”
– Vivienna Lorikeet
The brand wants to push the boundaries of curvy fashion, moving away from just lingerie, swimwear, and casual attire and into the lux level of high fashion.
Re-educating a whole industry on the right way to do things is a bold move that we can get behind. It takes courage and wisdom to be able to work past long-held perspectives of what is acceptable in the fashion world. We’re excited to see what other refinements and innovations can be made in such an unexplored market.
As an answer to the sometimes unique proportions curvy women have, the brand offers made-to-measure services to tailor a dress for the best, most empowering fit possible. One can try on sample dresses for the initial look and customize elements to get the desired look and feel.
Vivienna Lorikeet has a physical store in High Street, Armadale and offers a digital shopping experience on her website at viviennalorikeet.com.au. Her collection also includes sizes 6-14, so you and your gal pals can make a day out to shop together!
