Sample Size/The true size "ZERO"

Artemis

Artemis

Community Duchess
Nov 16, 2012
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NYC
Hoping to solicit the insight of models and other "industry" buffs, I have been wondering, for ages, what the dimensions for a true [high fashion] designer sample size/runway size are? Spurned models, a la Coco Rochas and Crystal Renn, pool the blame for their crumbling careers on clothes that are made "so small."

I want to know, precisecly--in numbers (BHW, Thigh, and Inseam), what "so small" really is.

Help a brother* out?

*Well, technically "sister"
 
Relief

After digging through old posts, I've found my answer, provided expertly by FashionThin. Sorry for the thread of an old topic; I'm new with interface/forum.

"Many of our high end / couture clients want 22" waists these days, sample/fitting sizes seem to be getting a little smaller every season. When I first started in the business, 23-24 was perfect for sample, even high end. The ideal runway stats seemed to be 30-32/23-24/33-34. Now it's more like 28-30/22-23/32-33 or even smaller.

But waist-wise, they are asking for 22-23 much more commonly. By the way, I'm talking about NY/Milan/Paris. In Asia it's even smaller and getting extreme due to the stranger fetishy pop culture influences in the fashion industry there (loli, anime, etc). Lately in Tokyo it's almost like, if the designer can't close their hands around a girl's waist they act like she's a whale. I know some of you are working in Asia so you can probably attest to this.

SWIM has a girl on their board with a 20" waist, and TBH that is the only special thing about her. She's a bit older, and her look is dull. But she is getting tons of work. And it's like giving the client heroin, because they keep coming back now "do you have any other girls her size"... and, a competing agency just signed another 20" waist.

Overall I believe it truly is a counter-cultural reaction to western obesity and excess.

Sizes in America are a joke. Almost any "mall store" size 0 is more like a 4 or 6 by real fashion standards. Those of us who aren't huge are having a harder and harder time finding clothes that fit. Luckily I have good fashion connections."

--FashionThin

And I thought my 24" waist was sweet.

WRONGO.

Back to the drawing board. :oops:
 
...;_; it makes my want my goal of a 23 inch waist even more. 1 inch away from that...!

but the sizes are so tiny, omg! so perfectly waif-ish. hurts it's not really feasible for me :(
 
deerskulls said:
...;_; it makes my want my goal of a 23 inch waist even more. 1 inch away from that...!

but the sizes are so tiny, omg! so perfectly waif-ish. hurts it's not really feasible for me :(
Click to expand...

I know. :(It may be acheiveable for moi BUT I would be a skeleton. Not so sure about that one. These aren't the measurement of someone very muscular.
 
same here. i looked positively sick at my lowest weight of 110...kinda want to get back to that, but to get those measurements i'd need to go lower, and then i'd look awkward as fuck. i just don't have the built to look waifish :(

let's cry on each other's shoulders
 
i have wide hips and shoulders. i like it, but being very very skinny just doesn't work on it xD i looked the best when i was reasonably slim

/cries on your shoulder
 
I know I’m bumping a seriously old thread but curious if this has changed in the last 7 years? Every brand seems to have different sizing and with the news of certain brands “banning” a size zero I’d be curious to know what that size zero actually is? Googles been telling me it’s along the lines of the 34-24-34 but that doesn’t seem right?
 
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I do know, that at work, our sample sizes are almost always a US size 2. Something along the lines of 33-25-35. The seamstresses etc then individually tailor the pieces during fittings. Production wise, it’s different for each and every brand. In HF size zero is around 29/30-24-34; partly because they expect you to get it tailored in store if it’s to large (often free of charge).
 
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spacecaked said:
I do know, that at work, our sample sizes are almost always a US size 2. Something along the lines of 33-25-35. The seamstresses etc then individually tailor the pieces during fittings. Production wise, it’s different for each and every brand. In HF size zero is around 29/30-24-34; partly because they expect you to get it tailored in store if it’s to large (often free of charge).
Click to expand...
Maybe my perceptions are skewed but that’s not nearly as small as I was expecting the way people go on about omg size zero so small. I’ve been wearing size zero (pretty high end stuff) at work all day and a lot are decently loose and I was wondering if it was vanity sizing or I’m smaller than I realize
 
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Unfortunately, size zero has become a contemporary metaphor for much more than plain old measurements :confused: If you want to dig in, most online stores/retailers will have a size guide with exact measurements for each product (Net a Porter is a pretty good source). Other than that, sounds like you’re smaller than you think :)
 
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I'm still curious on thigh size and stuff. I have a medium-large frame and my smallest waist size was 22.5. My current is 23.5-24 depending on bloating. Thigh goal for me is 15-16. Is that small enough? Too small for my frame?
 
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