by Reena Daruwalla, guest writer for Nancy Hayssen.com

I have been talking about Plus Size Fashion in my last few posts and wanted to take a look today at all the wonderful designers who make beautiful clothes with real women in mind, which flatter and enhance the womanly form.

One of the most well known designers of plus size fashion is Anna Scholz who is known for her luxurious and original creations. Her clientele is highly impressive, which includes celebrities like Macy Gray, Gabrielle, Dawn French, Roseanne Barr, Lisa Riley, Alison Moyet, Camryn Manheim, Jocelyn Brown and Queen Latifah. Her exotic styles use animal prints, Silks, velvets, feathers, rhinestones and Cashmere to great effect. The London designer, who is a size 20, is one of the few designers worldwide who are working to smash the barriers of sizism by offering fashion in sizes 8-26.

Abby Zeichner or Abby Z saysshe finds her inspiration from travel and also from Gianni Versace who styled women, dressing them to look sexy and powerful with nothing to hide. Emme, Camryn Manheim, Carnie Wilson, Queen Latifah, and Mo’Nique are some of the stars who have been spotted on TV screens and red carpets wearing Abby’s signature double heart tunic or jeans.

C.enne.V is a plus size design line that was launched in 2005 by Cheyenne Valenzuela. She wanted to know, … if 50% of American women are size 14 and up, why are there so few options out there? And why do designers cater to the pint-size market when the plus-size market is where it’s at? And please tell me why I am expected to hide my body behind an ill-fitting sheath? Thick is sexy, everybody knows it. She decided that there was a real dearth of clothing for plus size women that both fit well and looked good, which was stylish and high quality and looked to change all that!

Gayla Bentley is someone else who felt that fashion is not about size but style and wants to bring to women the kind of clothing that they really want, not shapeless clothes that are just purchased because it is all that is available: chic, confident, comfortable women’s clothes classic, modern clothing for all women to embrace and enjoy.

Judith Deluca designs under the Vikki Vi label, which is known for its slinky stretch knits, clothes designed to dovetail well with today’s busy lifestyles.