Anna Scholz Blog

I was filming with the German television station Arte TV for a few days last week.  Watch out for a whole evening program about plus size women in spring of next year!

The film crew spent some time with me at my design studio and then we shot some footage with the talented singer, Jocelyn Brown. I was very happy to meet up again with Jocelyn. She has been an amazing customer of ours for years. She is a soul music legend, and we had the privilege of hearing her perform her hit “Somebody Else’s Guy” in the privacy of her living room.

Can’t wait to see her in the Jazz Cafe in December!

Anna Scholz and Jocelyn Brown Share a Laugh

Anna Scholz, Jocelyn Brown and presenter Susie Lux

Anna and Jocelyn

Anna and Cliff made a whirlwind visit to Paris at the weekend to say hi to a whole bunch of fabulous French fashion bloggers. They had the opportunity to present the annascholz brand and philosophy to a relatively new market for us. They also got the chance to hear what  our followers in France would like from us. The best bit, as always, was showing off the wonderful collection and seeing the great time all the ladies had trying the clothes on.

The event was a lot of fun and so well organised by the very lovely Thibault Masson from ma-grande-taille. Keep an eye out as they are about to launch a UK version of the online magazine.

It was a pleasant surprise to find out how many bloggers there are in France and how many of them made it to the event.

They had a great time chatting to everyone and the atmosphere was very lively. Anna finally got to say hello to France TV star Laurence Boccolini who appears on national TV, airs on daily national radio , writes a fashion bible for plus-size women and also has her own blog, Blogolini

Author and actor Stephanie Zwicky of  le blog de big beauty , who recently came to visit us in London, was there along with a whole host of really wonderful people.

These are some of the other bloggers we met. Please check out their blogs and say a big hello to them from the UK.  They will really appreciate it.

Lisa Gallay, Mondeuses Rondes

Estelle, ChaCha

Gaëlle-Vanessa Prudencio, lespitreriesdevanoue

Nathalie Da Silva, feetuxette

Letizia Gosselin, letilor

Marie Bauzon, monage28

Laurence Boccolini, blogolini

Sihem Ih Sawsan, sawsan

Marjolaine, fringhalles

Charlotte from Simply Be attended as well as Andrew from Yours Clothing. It was very interesting for us to hear their presentations and to get the chance to swap notes with other companies.

All in all it was an exhausting day but a very worthwhile experience.

Thank you Thibault and Au Revoir Paris !

Anna and Stephanie Zwicky looking gorgeous

The lovely Laurence Bocollini and the equally lovely Thibault Masson with Cliff

During our trip to New York last month to show the collection, our friends Erica and Aimee from the Madison Plus blog, helped Darren and me to organise a customer, stockist and blogger event. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to meet and reunite with customers, shop owners and bloggers, who are all so vital to the fashion industry.

We sipped some bubbly, caught up on the gossip and tried on lots of clothes! It was great to see so many beautiful women in different shapes, sizes and ages in our dresses.

The gorgeous Nikki Gomez won our raffle and chose our cool stretch tailoring black zip dress as her prize.

Jessica Svoboda offered her fabulous jeans and fellow designer Monif C stopped by too.

Our stockists, Jaclyn from Voluptuous Vixen, Liz from Fresh Ayer and Laura from Lola & Gigi showed their support and struck a few poses. Everyone really brought the Spring-Summer 2011 collection to life!

–Anna

Anna, Erica & Aimee from Madison Plus, Darren

Nikki's a winner!

Aimee, Laura from Lola & Gigi, Jaclyn from Voluptuous Vixen

Aimee rocks some Spring-Summer 2011 looks

Jaclyn from Voluptuous Vixen and Liz from Fresh Ayer

Monif C and the Madison Plus girls

I was disturbed to read about a survey recently which found that nearly 50 percent of American women and a quarter of men would gladly give up sex for the summer in exchange for not gaining 10 pounds!

In fact, the survey found that Americans were willing to give up a variety of pleasures in exchange for staying slimmer. For example, recession or not, many Americans would rather lose weight than get a promotion at work. Many would also give up their mobile phones, TV or sex for a flat tummy

Conducted by Nutrisystem weight loss program, the survey took place across the US among 1,001 adults. The results are thought to be representative of the general priorities of the nation. Perhaps this is representative of the UK as well?

Seriously, how sad are we? Where are our priorities? What about fun, joy, happiness, food, SEX !!!  Life is too short.

–Anna

To read the full article, click here.

Starting this month, Harrods department store is closing its plus-size clothing department.  It is a sad day indeed.  Harrods was the last upscale department store in London to carry designer plus-size womenswear of a quality and calibre that many curvy women had come to rely on.

It’s sad for Anna Scholz as a company, of course. We have enjoyed doing business with Harrods for the past 12 years.  Our collections have always sold extremely well there too. There obviously is a huge demand. So who decided to close the doors to many curvy shoppers?

But this shut-down is also a sad comment on retailers’ priorities. With Selfriges having closed its plus department several years ago, and now Harrods doing the same, I am wondering if our high-end department stores don’t value their plus-size customer. It seems like madness to exclude 47% of the population from the opportunity to spend money in your store. This customer not only buys clothes but accessories, perfume, cosmetics…take away clothes and you alienate them on all levels. Every woman deserves to have choice and to dress fashionably!

Harrods Puts the Red Light on Retail for Curvy Shoppers

With the rise of curvy models in the media, we are moving a step up. It’s strange, then, that exactly at this time our shopping options are becoming even more limited.

In the meantime, support the shops that are standing firm and catering to your size or visit my web shop at www.annascholz.com.

—Anna

I recently bought a Victorian townhouse in London and renovated it for 6 months.

I finally moved in at the end of May and had my housewarming party on Jun 20– which was also the 20-year anniversary of me living in London!

I thought I’d wait until I have better pictures, but here we go…From when I bought it, to destruction, to the end — or the new beginning, as I like to think of it.

Went to see the feel-good summer musical HAIR last night with my English family of friends (our gang).

Really good fun! Enjoyed the vocal  performance of the powerful lead singer.

I recently attended a luncheon with my business partner Cliff for the UK Fashion and Textile Export Awards. Unfortunately, we did not win an award; however, the host of the event, actress Joanna Lumley, admired my dress when we ran into each other in the ladies room! (It’s one of our upcoming web shop exclusive styles– keep watching the website for it!)

My friend Helmut turned 50 (sorry for outing you, Helmut!) and invited a group of us for dinner at St. John Restaurant, where we feasted on a whole suckling pig.

…oh dear! Sorry to all of you vegetarians out there…it was a little barbaric.

Frida just LOVED the bones I brought back home.

St. John is a very cool place even if you don’t want to eat ox tongue, lamb kidneys or a whole pig…

http://www.stjohnrestaurant.co.uk/

Fashion and beauty guru, Mia Shelton,  was inspired to write a little ditty to me which she included on her blog, Fleurtle.  It’s sung to the tune of “Glamorous Life” by Sheila E (a classic tune for sure!). And it goes a little something like this…

I wear a long Scholz dress of silk
Especially in the summertime
Everybody knows from my coy little wink
I have a lot on my mind

I’ve got big thoughts, big dreams
And a big brown body with curves
Wow I’d like to thank
Ms. Anna Scholz
For making clothes that drape my curves

I want to lead the Glamorous Life
My body needs clothes that are plush
I want to lead the Glamorous Life
Without Anna
It ain’t much!
It ain’t much!

You can hear her sing it herself on Fleurtle: http://fleurtle.com/2010/03/the-anna-scholz-plus-size-collection-is-synonymous-to-the-glamorous-life/

She also included some very lovely words about me. I am absolutely charmed by the whole gesture.

Mia!

Keep bein’ glamorous, Mia!

xxAnna