(Filed Under wholesale Lingerie News). Curves by Oh La La Cheri is the Florida-based lingerie company’s first move into the plus market, with an initial assortment of 35 styles due to begin shipping in May.

“Our retailers in the U.S. and outside the U.S. (Europe, Middle East) have been asking us to inject some plus size items in the collection,” wrote Tugdual Denis, the new vice president of sales in an emailed response to questions submitted by BODY. “They have been struggling to find a fashion plus size line” at affordable prices.

“We feel there is a huge gap in the market for a fashion forward, well-fitting brand retailing between $35 and $45 for a matching bra/panty set,” he continued. “Most European and American plus size fashion brands are retailing between $70 and $130 a bra.” According to Denis, the Curves by Oh La La Cheri bras are projected to retail for “approximately” $25-$30, panties for $12-$15 and bustiers and baby dolls for $45.

In creating the plus collection, owner and lead designer Nicolas Attard, focused on creating styles specifically for the plus woman (of the designs in the plus collection only five are drawn directly from existing styles in the line). At the same time, Attard emphasized, he did not draw from a “different” design inspiration. “Our girl is the same across all our sub brands. She’s daring, sexy and in control of her body. Only the technical approach of the line has been well thought. We worked with stronger materials, trims and accessories to meet the specific needs of the plus size market.”

“With the launch of our plus line,” he wrote BODY, “we wanted to embellish and enhance the beautiful curves that make our Oh La La Cheri plus woman. The inspiration is based off a mood and feeling for every intimate setting. The vision is simple: romance novel meets 50 Shades of Gray. Our styles can be a “Romantic Roll in the Hay” while others release her inner sex kitten. Our plus girl can be a chameleon in the bedroom with styles that flatter, provide comfort and support. We do have a farm girl theme and the feminatrix theme throughout the line but styles are combined.”

Asked to define the customer for the new collection, Attard wrote, “She’s a 30-year-old who wants to show off her curves, who wants to embrace her curves while having access to the same product and design” as available in smaller sizes.

“We have major expectations for this collection,” noted Denis. “Within the next 2-3 years, we predict that Curves will account for 30% of the our sales.”

In a move that has proved effective for other wholesalers in the category, Oh La La Cheri is currently photographing the new collection on plus models. “We wanted this catalogue to have its own feel, own setting and props as well as own plus size models,” wrote Denis. “By the way, we decided to use an ethnic model and Caucasian American because we want to target a very diverse crowd as well as position ourselves as a bridge brand.”

The company is also planning a separate plus catalog for the collection. “We will have a special catalogue,” wrote the sales executive, adding, “Whilst we have one mother brand which is Oh La La Cheri, we feel that three main categories are emerging from our brand portfolio: OLLC Boutique + Bridal / OLLC Curves / OLLC Tres Sexy + Jet Set (clubwear).”

The company reported it has already gotten a strong reaction to the line. “We have shown the line to some our VIP accounts and the reaction has been spectacular,” wrote Denis. “We feel that 70% of our current client base will buy the line while we are hoping to add 100 new accounts in the U.S. only in 2014 with this new line.”

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Published 02-10-2014 by Nick Monjo