New York-based clothing line Chromat is changing the way “beauty” is portrayed by the fashion industry. The brand’s Saturation collection, debuted during New York Fashion Week, was inspired by wet t-shirts in order “to reclaim the experience of hiding under a giant T-shirt at a pool party and make it a garment to wear proudly.”
Their brand description reads: “Chromat is architectural swim and athletic wear designed for strong, powerful women, femmes and non-binary #ChromatBABES” and goes up to a size 3-XL.
The model lineup was inclusive like no other designer, and featured women like Mama Cax, who strutted down the runway with a prosthetic leg, and who also appeared in Chromat’s Pool Rules campaign which seeks to promote body acceptance and love for all humans at the pool.
While audiences generally lauded Chromat’s entire collection and vibe, one signature piece really stood out: The Sample Size T, worn by Sonny Turner.
Sample sizes usually range from zero to four, and are worn by models both in brand campaigns and on the runway. Founder of Chromat Becca McCharen-Tran told As/Is, “Sample sizing tends to be an excuse that other designers cite as a reason why they don’t feature a range of sizes in their runway shows. At Chromat, we know that the designer has the power to choose what size they prototype their collection in.”
https://twitter.com/CHROMAT_PARTY/status/1038831317272723462
“Our goal is to encourage more designers to sample their collections in a range of sizes, in order to celebrate all different size bodies on the runway,” added McCharen-Tran. “We want everyone to know it’s not their body that needs to change to fit designer clothes, clothes need to be designed to fit each individual body.”
You can snag your own Sample Size T for $60, in sizes ranging from XS to 3XL.
People on social media were stoked about the message Chromat was sending.
Chromat does the best model casting hands down pic.twitter.com/XIG7Q9Sa5w
— sum-err (@SomerMilan) September 8, 2018
@CHROMAT_PARTY Thank you for your diversity at #NYFW. Hopefully other designers will follow, and realize it's the right thing to do. 👍❤
— Fantabulousjewelry (@Fantabuluz01) September 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/3M1L1AC00K3/status/1038414049497829377
https://twitter.com/hglazo/status/1038557698609045504
https://twitter.com/Farleyfan/status/1038885608586792961