Rafaella Fits Your Shape

Recently, the Rafaella brand has gotten a complete makeover. It’s always been a classic brand of basics, but over time it got a little stale and frumpy. The new face of Rafaella, created by Creative Director Richard Metzger, is still a collection of basics…but these basics are super flattering, versatile, fashionable, washable and affordable. Mr. Metzger is a genius! His styles are ageless – they look youthful and fresh enough for Gen Y, while still being classic enough for Boomers.

Be warned, the styling online, in store posters and in advertising is still a little matronly, but don’t let that dissuade you…try them on…the styles are very figure and fashion friendly. I just had a preview of the Summer and early Fall 2012 collections and confirmed that the humpty, dumpty frumpy has been fully exorcised from the brand!

Fit Your Shape

The best part of the brand rehab is Rafaella’s new focus on fitting YOUR shape. They have introduced pants, skirts and dresses in 3 cuts – classic, curvy and modern.  These cuts are designed to fit a real woman, no matter her size or shape. Rafaella held a fit event in Houston…and judging from the results in the dressing room, they achieved their goal. Most of the women who tried the pants found a great fit right off the rack.

Here’s the general approach for each cut…but, even if you think you know which cut will fit you best, try all three anyway. I found that some styles fit me better in one cut while other styles fit me better in another cut. I was positive I was a “classic,” but discovered that the “curvy” pants and “modern” skirts fit me best. Others at the event had the same experience.

Classic – Designed for women with a tummy. These styles are cut with more room for a tummy and a wide waistband to provide more support in that area. The waistband sits a little higher.

Curvy – These styles are cut with more room in the booty and thighs and the waistband is made so it doesn’t gap in the back.

Modern – Designed for figures with a thicker waist, narrow hips and a flatter bottom. The fit is slimmer in the thighs and the waist band sits a little lower.

Rafaella offers all three cuts in Missy, Plus and Petite sizes. Great clothes in all sizes for all figures! Yeah!!!

Care and Cost

All pieces in the collection are Easy Care…machine washable! Pants and skirts range from $39  to $55, tops from $29 to $73,  jackets from $59 to $90 and dresses from $69 to $80.

Where To Get It

As with all brands, availability in stores depends on which elements of the collection different buyers chose. In general, Dillard’s stores are focused on Fit Your Shape pants and skirts with a few tops and jackets and maybe a dress or two in Missy sizes. Most Macy’s stores still stock the very classic styles in Missy sizes and is slowly transitioning to the new Rafaella. Macy’s Woman (the Plus department) has the Fit Your Shape collection. Lord & Taylor has a broader representation of the whole collection.

If your favorite store doesn’t stock the Fit Your Shape collection in all the sizes and styles you want, speak to the store manager so the buyers will know that you want it. You, the consumer, have the power. Demanding clothes that look good on you without settling for less actually creates the market. Rafaella is proof designers and buyers are starting to listen to you.

Rafaella.com is in Phase I of it’s online launch, so for now, you’ll just see a limited selection. But over time, you’ll see the full collections available here.