I first noticed the Pari Passu brand at Nordstrom last year, and liked their handwriting. They offer dressier attire and elevated essentials in sizes US12 to US24 across beautiful fabrics. Their items are versatile, crisp, sharp, and a little different to the norm. Trendy classic silhouettes, outstanding fits, flattering cuts, playful detailing, sophisticated, tailored, and lots of neutrals. Prices are high, but they do go on sale.
I did a little digging and was pleasantly surprised by the story behind the brand. Pari Passu is a Latin expression that means “equal in all respects”. The purpose of the brand, as they put it, is “to give curvy women access to the kind of fashion that is pari passu with what is offered to their straight-size sisters.”
The brand specializes in tailoring and excellent fit. Pattern-making experts and designers spent more than a year pouring over the 3D body scans of thousands of women size US12 and above to perfect the fit across their seven sizes. They based their fits on shape rather than size, because one shape does not fit all.
The brand perfected three types of fits that take into account the unique details and nuances of larger women’s bodies. They use multiple fit models for each item in their assortment, and work hard at getting every detail right. Their sample size is a US18, and not the more usual US12. Bottoms that are flattering, jackets that drape with chic, and tops that don’t pull at the bust and on the arms are a few of the fit concerns that the brand takes very seriously. As a result, a very unique fit system was born. All you need to do is find your shape and then your size, and Pari Passu will guarantee you a perfect fit. And if you don’t see your size, they encourage you to contact them for custom options.
Premium fabrics that ensure excellent quality are ethically sourced by expert artisans in New York City. All items are made in the USA, which amps up their sustainability game. Meet the people who helped launch the brand’s first campaign. They look FABULOUS. Watch the verve, confidence and beauty bounce off the screen in the video.
When Shanna Goldstone, the co-founder and creative director of Pari Passu, was asked in an interview why they used a harder to find size US18 fit model rather than the more usual and easier to find US12, she said that it “was important for us to show what our clothes look like on a body that is truly reflective of the majority of women in this country, not some fashion ideal of what that looks like.”
Goldstone hopes that their campaign and brand encourages a more diverse representation of bodies in the modelling industry, and I do too.
