Hot off the press……… this week’s Grazia, the UK’s top glossy weekly fashion magazine have teamed a flirty feminine blouse with on trend tailored trousers, and the perfect accessory to complete this stylishly chic look?……..Opika’s Skinny Monza Black Patent Belt £55.00 www.opika.co.uk/features

Just right, for day or night!

Beautifully designed and wonderfully indulgent, the Fair is the perfect place to shop, dine and socialise in style.

Simply email: info@opika.co.uk before the 25th October and the winners will be notified on 26th October 2010.

Having launched their stunning Designer Belt Salon in May, Opika is on a mission to help women discover their hidden potential by maximising their wardrobes through the addition of a few carefully considered accessories.

“This is extremely exciting for Opika,” explains Opika’s Creative Director, Sarah Clough. “The Spirit of Christmas Fair will allow clients to try on belts and waist jewellery and to see the detail, as well as feel the quality and the textures of each design. A belt can completely transform your look in a very positive way and I’ll be on hand with expert advice on finding the best belt for your shape, as well as offering styling tips.”

Yorkshire born Sarah is passionate about quality and design and OPIKA’s belts have been sold around the world in the most exclusive destinations, including Harvey Nichols, London. Opika belts have also appeared on the pages of Vogue and have been modelled by Kate Moss, a true testimony of their desirability amongst the fashion elite.

Opika’s much loved SIGNATURE BELT COLLECTION alongside its stunning WAIST JEWELLERY COLLECTION are now available at its premier on-line boutique www.opika.co.uk. Personal fittings and viewings can also be arranged by appointment at Opika’s Ilkley Salon. In sizes 6 to 20, there’s something to fit and flatter every figure.

True investment dressing, Opika’s recently introduced Waist Jewellery Collection appeals to those who love the handcrafted, the individual and the unique. The striking buckles fashioned from solid silver and set with semi-precious stones are teamed with interchangeable belts in deluxe leathers, for a look that truly reflects and complements your personality and style.

“If you are looking to add a sense of sophistication and a bit of ‘Wow!’ to an outfit then a great belt is the best solution,” Sarah enthuses. “No longer there just for purely functional reasons, belts now form a pivotal part of an outfit. Whether it’s a leather belt with a statement buckle to wear with jeans, or a gorgeous, narrow waist cinching belt in snakeskin with a buckle encrusted with semi-precious stones to dress up your LBD or transform a tailored jacket, Opika belts are a wonderful combination of form AND function – think jewellery for your waist. With a great selection of belts in your wardrobe you can ring the changes and work new looks effectively with last seasons favourite buys.”

Low slung or worn cinched at the waist, Opika belts are very versatile and flattering, thanks to their amazing design. The luxurious materials and unique buckle detail completely transform an outfit and are adored by the fashion accessory cognoscenti.

Small leather accessories, including key fobs, cuffs and bracelets will also be available at the Opika stand (E118), as well as the opportunity to have a unique piece designed and made, perhaps for a wedding outfit or to commemorate an anniversary.

So buckle up and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, whilst browsing the ultimate in luxury belts and designer waist jewellery at
OPIKA
SPITIT OF CHRISTMAS FAIR: STAND E118 (3rd – 7th November 2010)

Formerly a model, Renn fought anorexia after being told she needed to loose 10 inches off her hips. Now a healthy size 14, she is back and in demand as a plus size model having walked the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier and Chanel as well as gracing the covers of Bazaar and Elle magazines.

In an industry where size zero has become the norm it is refreshing to see Renn and a handful of other models being used to show how the designers’ clothes look on real women, the so-called Plus Sizes.

Hollywood also appears to be catching on to the allure of curvier women. Mad Men’s, Christina Hendricks has become the inspiration for a raft of fashion trends and photo shoots that pay homage to her womanliness, as Vogue put it in their Catwalk Report, “Autumn’s retro dressing is a hymn to the female form – all tiny waists, full hips and bountiful bosoms”.

It not only makes sense from the customers’ perspective but also from a purely financial perspective, designers need to think more carefully about the clothes they produce if they want to watch their bottom line. With the average size in the UK being a size16, designers need to consider what flatters a curvier shape rather than designing for the flat-chested, no hip, no waist waif that has been consistently paraded on the catwalk and in the glossy magazines.

For too long larger girls have shoe-horned themselves into clothes that do not fit and do not flatter in a bid to wear something fashionable. How often have we seen girls parading in tight, cropped tops that expose a bulging tummy…the so called ‘muffin top’?

It’s exciting to think that finally designers are starting to look at what suits a womanly figure. In the past, several designers have given a nod to real women by using plus size models on the catwalk but then spoilt the whole statement by putting them in clothes designed for a woman without a bosom, hips or a waist.

Crystal Renn represents the average British and American woman – let’s hope that she is able to withstand industry pressures and doesn’t, once again, feel the need to conform to warped industry standards.

So, here’s to seeing clothes modelled on real women and not waifs.

Recently, American fashion house, Marc Jacobs announced that it is launching a clothing range for bigger (more normal?) women and last week, BBC Breakfast reported the first ever catwalk show during New York Fashion week that will feature plus size models – that is UK size 16 and above.

Marks & Spencer has moved from a having a separate plus size range and are now doing larger sizes in their main line collections.

According to the Mail Online, Mintel fashion analyst Tamara Sender said: ‘Plus size consumers are increasing and these shoppers are looking for improved choice. Given the numbers of not just plus-size women, but also men, these consumers can no longer be considered a minority or niche sector and retailers need to wake up to the potential of this market.’
While some stores are making changes, Mintel said many plus size women are unhappy at the choice available.
Miss Sender added: ‘more than four in ten women size 18 and over believe that plus-size clothes tend to be less fashionable.’

Real women have breasts, hips and waists that, actually, they quite like having. Whilst the androgynous look may work for some, the majority would like to celebrate being a woman and would also like to be able to buy fashionable, well made clothes designed to work on a more shapely figure. We are talking about celebrating healthy, womanly curves.

Having curves doesn’t exclude a woman from wanting to dress stylishly and, more importantly, it shouldn’t. She wants to be able to choose from mainstream fashion and not be forced to shop in the outsize department. These are savvy women, who understand clothes. They read the glossies, they know the fashion trends and then are let down when it comes to finding the clothes on the high street and in the designer stores.

So, well done to Marc Jacobs and Marks & Spencer and let’s hope that this is just the tip of the iceberg.