Newsflash: Chopova Lowena’s cult skirts now come in bigger sizes

Every once in a while, an item ascends from simple garment or accessory to bonafide fashion grail. In recent memory, things like Miu Miu’s barely-there skirt, JW Anderson’s Bumper bag, and Jean Paul Gaultier’s reissued second-skin Cyber looks have all found a spot on that list, alongside Chopova Lowena’s punky pleated carabiner skirt, whose covetable cult status was cemented even further when the London label made its fashion week debut back in September.

For boys, girls, and non-binary people above a UK size 14, though, there was little chance of squeezing one of the duo’s skirts over their hips. At least, until now. In an Instagram post published this afternoon, Emma Chopova and Lauren Lowena revealed they are set to drop a new, extended size range of the style, starting at a size 6 and reaching up to a UK26. The girls have often spoken of wanting to cater to a wider audience with their offering – it was just a case of figuring out how to do it as a small brand still in its very early days. 

The move is emblematic of a new generation of young designers striving to become more inclusive, as behemoth brands with the infrastructure and resources to actually do it fairly easily continue to shy away from putting larger models on the runway. Miu Miu, for example, kitted Paloma Elsesser out in a custom version of its own cult micro-mini on the cover of i-D, but is yet to invite anyone over a size ten to actually take to its catwalk. It’s a real shame, particularly given Miuccia was one of the first to cast new gen Precious Lee in a campaign for Prada’s naughty little sister line.

After a good few years of trailing behind New York when it came to size representation, London was leading charge when it came to putting larger and differently-abled people on the catwalk during the SS23 season. Notable shows included Sinéad O’Dwyer’s, in which casting director and 2022 Dazed 100er Emma Matell included the likes of Agusta Yr and Emily Barker, who uses a wheelchair, on the line-up. Other monumental moments – that should be nothing more than the norm – came via Fashion East newbie Karoline Vitto, whose entire collection was modelled on no one smaller than a UK size 10.

Chopova Lowena’s new extended size range skirt is available to pre-order now for delivery early next year. Head here to get your hands on one.