Not hiding, but highlighting! Designer Eva Lutz talks to the Curvy Magazine.
Sallie Sahne stands for great styling and is very popular among confident women who have some curves. Eva Lutz combines premium quality with a perfect fit and a design to die for. “When you feel at ease, you take this feeling to the outside. Fashion is so much more than just clothes. Fashion is a personal inspiration and sends a clear signal to your environment. It’s not only about optical attraction but rather about motivation and passion”, is the designer’s philosophy.
The Curvy Magazine: What do you love most about the work as a designer?
Eva Lutz: “I love to work with materials, colours, and shapes. Especially the creative process in the collection development and the intense time with my team. As a designer, I enjoy this inspirational phase very much, of course.”
Do you prefer to create fashion in sample sizes or in plus-size?
Eva Lutz: „”It doesn’t make a difference. The two procedures are fun.“
What do you think about the term “oversize“?
Eva Lutz: “Unfortunately ‘oversize’ was the only term existing some years ago. I’m glad that it changed to be ‘plus size’.“
What made you decide to start a design line for curvy women?
Eva Lutz: ”On the one hand, the challenge to translate the fashion and success of Minx into plus sizes. And on the other hand, I was thinking that a Minx dress could look as fantastic on a woman wearing a 42/44 as it does on a lady in a size 34. That’s how the Sallie Sahne collection saw the light of day. It’s ever a pleasure to see how beautiful the ladies look in size 48.”
Is it true that the production of plus-size fashion is more costly? And what are the challenges in the design of large-sized fashion?
Eva Lutz: ”Yes, the plus-size collection is more expensive indeed, but this is because of the higher use of fabrics. The design must respect the proportions of the plus-sized woman and be adjusted and amended accordingly. Just upsizing a fit is not possible. If you take all this into account, the design is not a problem at all.”
According to you, in what way the plus-sized fashion industry will change in the next 5 years?
Eva Lutz: ”Plus-size has ever been occupying a negative niche. For many years we have been fighting for a more favourable attention towards plus-size. I have the impression that plus-size gets more attention thanks to social media, and as a result, it gets more friendly recognition.“
Your favourite cities are New York, London, and Berlin. Nevertheless, you and your team produce at an isolated manor house in the Franconian countryside. Why did you choose this contrast?
Eva Lutz: “I love contrasts. I need the city life as much as the isolation and quiet in the countryside. And this can also be seen in my collections. Woolly against silky, solid against flowing or feminine and sporty. As a ‘creative’ I get the input for my designs and creations from every life situation like for example on the street, in the cinema, in cities, at exhibitions etc.“
IYour designs are easily wearable in every-day life and at the same time catwalk-like. How do you approach the design process?
Eva Lutz: ”I’m a tactile person and at the beginning are always the qualities. By feeling, pictures arise in my mind to be refined and perfected during the development of the collection. I design for women who must perform many tasks – therefore, wearing comfort is essential. I count myself as one of them. As a result, 80% of my wardrobe consists of my collection.”
Translation: Danielle De Bie
Sponsored by Sallie Sahne
