Perfect cut: Finally, jeans for Indian curves

BANGALORE: Any random survey would reveal that most Indian women find it almost impossible to get western wear that fits right, especially jeans and pants. That's because what's on the shelves is based on standard sizes, that make little allowance for Indian women's god-given, natural curves.

"I always have trouble finding the right pair of jeans. When I find a pair that fits my waist right, the hips seem a little funny. And the ones that look great on hips are far too tight on the waist," says an exasperated R Shreya, who still doesn't have a pair of perfect jeans. Her story is echoed by the vast majority of Indian women, young and old.

But now, more and more apparel makers are seriously addressing the issue. Women's clothing is finally getting personal, with brands making clothes based on curves, rather than size. Come September, denim fashion brand Levi Strauss will launch a range of jeans designed to fit the curves of a woman's body.

The company conducted a study of body scans of more than 60,000 women around the world, of all shapes and sizes.

Through this research, Levi's designers identified three distinct body types that account for 80% of women's shapes universally — Slight Curve for straight figures, Demi Curves for women with even proportions, and Bold Curves designed for the real curves.

Earlier, Jealous 21, the casual denim women's wear brand from fashion house Indus League, carried out an anthropometric study of Indian women, that revealed that 90% of all women fall into three distinct waist-to-hip ratio categories, which determine their curves. Following that finding, the brand has been offering three hip sizes for every waist size. So, a 28-size waist would have a 36" hip size, a 38" hip size and a 39" hip size.

Allen Solly, the casual wear brand of Madura Garments, had earlier this decade done a study that found that the body types of Indian women could be divided into four broad categories, and accordingly, clothes were categorized as: comfort — for a body small on top, wider on hips; straight — equal on top, waist and hips; trim — equal on top and bottom with narrow waist; and regular — wide-shouldered and narrow at waist and hips.