Indie Designer Spotlight: Featuring Pheline Couture – Annika Reid “The Stylish Reid”
The Plus Size Fashion industry has come a long way in offering stylish options for its consumer. Amongst this much-needed fashion and trend outpour, has sprouted the movement of the Indie Designer.
In this issue of Fabuplus magazine we take a look at Toronto based designer Ava Jones of Pheline Couture.
Let’s get to know Pheline Couture:
Myself: What sparked your desire for Fashion and Design?
(Ava from Pheline Couture) It truly was the lack of selection as a teenager. The options were to either dress like a boy and style it up with shoulder pads and a belt or create it yourself.
I had a very unique sense of style as a teen/young adult and I was a big fan of repurposing clothing. The vintage and secondhand stores were a great resource for my creativity.
Myself: What inspired you to create couture garments for the Plus Sized Woman?
(Ava from Pheline Couture) I cannot say it was any one particular influence that inspired me, short of being full figured myself. When I started modeling, I was designing more and more pieces, but primarily for myself. It wasn’t until 2009 when the creator of The Fuller Woman Expo, Georgia Greenwood, encouraged me to put together a small collection to show. It was well received and I was asked to also show at TFWE in Detroit that same year. After my second showing, I decided concretely to stop modeling and focus all of my energy into designing.
Myself: Who is the ideal Pheline Couture Woman or Client?
(Ava from Pheline Couture) The ideal Pheline Couture Woman is a woman who has a good balance of tasteful elegance and sex appeal who understands that class and trend can be exuded just as successfully on her fuller figure. My garments highlight and accent curves in all the right places! She’s classy, trendy, sexy and mysterious.
Find out more about Pheline Couture on their official website www.pheline.ca
You can find Pheline Couture on Social Media; Instagram; @Phelinecouture Facebook; @Pheline Design