UPDATE: SWAK Designs $50 Gift Certificate Drawing

Who is the mind behind Sealed with a Kiss Designs? What is your company’s origin?

Sealed with a Kiss Designs was founded in 2006 by Brad Capo, CEO, his wife Christina, VP Operations, Aunt Rhonda, VP Customer Service, and Stacy Montgomery, now VP of Sales.  We had an existing eBay business and got into providing trendy and fashionable plus size clothing at very affordable prices.  We were doing very well with it on eBay and decided to launch an online boutique, www.swakdesigns.com.  

Why did you choose the plus-sized market?

The plus sized market has always been an underserved segment in the clothing industry.  We found a way that we could help fill that void by offering the same trendy and fashionable clothing that you would find at your local retail stores at very affordable prices for the plus size woman.

Where do the clothing designs come from? Do you ever work with specific designers/suppliers?

We design the majority of our line.  We also work closely with a few vendors who bring us samples based on what is current in the industry, and we adapt those samples to our own designs.  From there we modify the measurements to fit the plus size industry standards. This spring we will be launching our first line with our very own new in house designer that we are quite excited about.  Things to look forward to are better fits for our plus size customers, modifications of our best sellers, better and higher quality fabrication, as well as greater attention to detail.  Bottom line is that Sealed with a Kiss Designs is all about the best possible end product at the most affordable prices.

Tell us about your clothing models. Where do you find them? What do you look for?

Currently we  have 4 fit models, 2 of which we use on our site regularly. We actually found all of our models through word of mouth and acquaintances.  We are always looking for fresh new faces to embody Sealed With a Kiss Designs.  Not only do we want to show that plus size women are some of the most beautiful women in the fashion industry we want our models to be relatable, charismatic, and pro-size acceptance. We believe these attributes have the ability to exude from a photograph and want them to translate to our customers!

What has been your biggest challenge so far in serving the plus size market?

Working with multiple production houses. It has been a challenge maintaining consistent sizing for our garments. Different pattern makers use various grading systems which creates a challenge in having a standard measurement reference guide for the majority of our pieces. In attempt to accommodate our customers sizing concerns we hand measure each item that we sale and list its measurements so that our customers can be sure to get that perfect item with the best fit.

Where do you look to get an idea what plus sized women want?

We look in various ways starting in house!  Our very own Stacy Montgomery, the face of Sealed With a Kiss Designs, is a proud plus size woman that is always looking for figure flattering garments that are relevant in the fashion industry. We receive lots of feedback about how much our customers love our clothing and how we can improve on style and fit.  We also stay in tune with the industry following trend reports, publications, and simply window shopping. There is not a specific place where you can find what women want in regards to fashion. Fashion is all around us in a variety of places.  We attempt to stay abreast of what is going on in the industry and make it relevant to the plus size woman so she can feel confident and empowered everyday.

What fashion changes do you see coming in 2009?

I see lots of bright and lively colors returning this spring. The color citrus will be very prominent this season.  However due to the need for stability in economic uncertainty we will be seeing these colors paired with grounded hues and translucent or neutral tones. Clothing items to look for this spring include flowing pants with high waists, sheer sweaters, Bermuda jackets, free flowing jersey dresses, and pleated skirts just to name a few. Details such as flounces and loose panels will also be prevalent this Spring.

What trend do you think will go away? Is there a trend you hope to see go away?

Metallics, the grunge boho look

Hope to see go away: Leggings, mini skirts, and Ugg boots (maybe it’s a west coast thing!)

What is SWAK’s long-term vision for plus size clothing?

Long term, we would like to see our line in boutiques and major department stores around the world. Our designs will continue to be on the cutting edge of trendy fashion adapted to the plus size market.

What are three things you want your customers to know about you?

Our primary concern is for our customer to feel absolutely beautiful and confident in top quality clothing with an amazing fit and affordable pricing.  They should also know that we hand-measure every piece that we offer in our online boutique in an effort to achieve the best fit possible for each customer.

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CONTEST – IMPORTANT:

SWAK designs is offering a special $50 gift certificate to one lucky PSW reader of a drawing to be held on February 21, 2009.   

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Here’s just a small sampling of SWAK Designs’ product line