Henning workwear brand set to launch
Lauren Chan, ex-beauty writer at Glamour, is developing a line of classically tailored garments to fit women well, particularly those in a size 16 and up
An American, size-inclusive, tailoring-focused workwear brand is set to launch this fall.
Its first collection will feature a number of garments, such as classically tailored suits and trench coats, sourced in a variety of high-grade materials. On its social media, the brand shared that “Henning is here to raise the bar. To create thoughtful clothes with high-quality materials – things that we all deserve to wear, period.”
It’s founder and CEO, Lauren Chan, previously worked as a model and fashion editor at Glamourmagazine. Speaking to the publication recently, she shared her reasons for leaving: “Two in three women wear above a size 12”, which translates to a UK size 16, and “I became so obsessed with the idea that millions of women like me were facing a similar disadvantage at work for being plus-size that I flat-out quit my job to help them.”
While the brand’s designs are being kept under wraps for now, Chan also shared a snippet of what we can look forward to: “The pieces are inspired by the ones I needed during my time at Glamour, and our goal is to solve the style and fit issues plus-size women have to deal with.”
Image courtesy of @henning via Instagram
Speaking to two women above a UK size 18, it’s clear that the availability of professional clothes in all sizes will do wonders for the workplace of all women. Sarah Hamel-Smith, a part-time model, and full-time blogger and media worker, finds “there is nothing more dehumanising than being unable to find proper clothing to wear, especially when you are in the working world.”
Speaking on her first job, she tells us “I looked sloppy and unkempt because I could not find any professional clothing that fit properly” – an all too common reality for most women. “It is so important for everyone to be able to access beautiful, stylish workwear. It also changes the way others look at you. I am very excited to see what Henning has created, and I have a feeling it’s a brand that could really revolutionise the plus-sized workwear world.”
Culture manager at plus-size fashion brand, Dia&Co Marge Hudson finds the same. “Size-inclusive workwear takes a large leap forward to fill a gap for the largely misrepresented majority of women”, she says, stating: “It sees us as equal and allows us to represent who we are and who we want to be as business leaders.”
Image courtesy of @henning via Instagram
“Having access to workwear allows women of all sizes to feel beautiful and confident, allowing them to worry about the problems they’re solving in their business”, Hudson says, making the most important point of all. “It allows them to express their personality in ways they haven’t before and frees them up from feeling limited or uncomfortable in any industry.”
While the brand is based in New York, it will be available to ship worldwide upon its release.
Henning’s workwear garments will be available to purchase through the brand’s website, www.henningnyc.com, in the coming months. Keep an eye on their social media feeds for further details, and a discussion of price-points to come.