It started out with a realization of a much-needed change. I saw the disconnect in what the fashion industry was telling women and the message just wasn’t resonating with me personally or the many women I connected with over the span of my career, actually it never did!

Women are a force and their voices are finally being heard across all sectors of life including fashion. 68% of women in the U.S. wear a size 14 and up with the average being a size 16, yet most fashion brands ignore these sizes. Instead they continue designing for the slender hourglass figure, reinforcing the “ideal” body type through mainstream media which has inflicted self-confidence issues upon women for decades. It is clear, that women size 14 and up don’t fit the “ideal” fashion industry mold and mainstream fashion brands don’t care about them.

A number is just a number, but some of us let the number on the label destroy our confidence. Even worse, we body shame ourselves to the point where shopping for clothing becomes a humiliating experience especially when brands don’t offer our size.

At Stella Carakasi we decided to create an inclusive fashion brand where a size 22 can shop the same way as a size 2 (XS-2XL). True inclusivity to us means designing clothing in a size continuum without calling the larger sizes plus size. Separating sizes into “regular” and “plus” is not inclusive and we set out to change this. It is our intention to continue expanding our size range as we scale and to embrace the many women that have been left out of the fashion conversation.

Our obsession with quality and fit results in comfortable, sustainable and timeless designs which defines our style. We are passionate about creating a fashionable antidote to the limited aesthetic variety that has long dominated this apparel sector- where styles are being produced without empathy for the environment and marketed to a non-diverse, youth obsessed demographic. Women of all shapes, sizes and ages deserve to be seen and feel visible.

We are on the leading edge of this fashion revolution. We are not ruled by anything of the moment or by trends, instead we produce quality garments that have longevity. We are body shape, size and age inclusive and choose eco-friendly materials and sustainable manufacturing practices throughout the entire supply chain, which is not only a choice but the way of the future.  

We chose to take the road less traveled and we want to bring you along with us. You deserve to be seen, as you are, in all your perfection. If this statement made you uncomfortable you might want to re-examine how you truly see yourself and where those beliefs originated. By quieting your inner self-critic, you give yourself permission to step into your power which looks much better on you than self-doubt.

Sincerely,

Stella and Team

“My clothing is not about age or body type but rather about supporting women the way they are in this present moment, which is perfect and beautiful. Their bodies are the perfect canvas and I offer them a palette of color and texture to work with.”
–Stella Carakasi