Cabiria Plus Size is looking for help funding the production of our SS13 collection. NOW WE WANT TO MEET STRETCH GOALS! Read more
Cabiria Plus Size is looking for help funding the production of our SS13 collection. NOW WE WANT TO MEET STRETCH GOALS!
About this project
Cabiria Plus Size whimsical, sensual style in sizes 12 - 24 is launching it's SS13 Collection - AND NOW WE'RE GOING FOR STRETCH GOALS!!
Hi, I'm Eden Miller and I'm the founder, owner, and designer of Cabiria Plus Size, whimsical, sensual style in sizes 12 - 24.
Cabiria was born out of a desire to bring whimsy, sensuality and luxury to the plus size world. We make high-end, daring clothing in sizes 12 - 24, and want to be on store shelves this coming Spring. In order to get there, we’ve launched this campaign to meet our initial production costs.
Where the money will go:
The $8,000 is to pay for grading (sizing up and down) costs for each pattern, factory production fees (higher here in the US than abroad, but so important to keep skilled jobs local), shipping costs, website development, and marketing to let the buyers know about our SS13 line. We want to be part of the network of independent shops, and produce the garments to place in brick and mortar boutiques throughout North America, online retailers, and our own e-store.
the Cabiria SS13 Lookbook - Trastevere Collection
WE ARE NOW THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PLUS SIZE PROJECT EVER ON KICKSTARTER!!
Thanks to you, we have exceeded every other plus size Kickstarter project, both in percentage over goal raised, and dollars raised. That's the way to show people that as a market we exist!
I have big plans, including expanding production abilities, printing our own fabrics, showing the line at trade and trunk shows, upgrading our website and e-store, expanding into new markets, and paying photographers, models, assistants and web developers, etc. a fair wage for their services.
STREEEEEETCH GOOOOOOOALS!!!!!! (said like the Telemundo Futbol Announcer)
Stretch Goals are dollar amounts that can make Cabiria really fly. I've come up with quite a few, but keep in mind this is not an aggregate total - this is the cost of EACH THING, and they are pretty conservative estimates.:
With $400 I can buy the beautiful hangtags and labels I want, handscreened by a small, independently owned American shop. DONE!
With $900 I can buy the most amazing Bemberg lining that's in limited supply, but could become a signature look for the company, especially as a finishing trim or full lining. It's in one of the last "guts and notions" suppliers left on the Lower East Side, in an area that used to be the Tailor's District.
With $1000 I can buy ad space in Plus Model Magazine, Skorch Magazine, DailyVenusDiva, Just As Beautiful, and a few other plus size fashion online magazines to promote pre-sales and encourage retailer and direct customer interest.
With $1250 I can work with The Apparel Agency or Indie Design Association to streamline production delivery and make sure it's all done according to industry expectations.
With $1750 per location, I can do a trunk show with models and refreshments at a plus size boutique interested in doing pre-sales, for instance in New Orleans, St. Paul, Toronto, and Chicago. (this pays for flight, meals, hotel, car, models, refreshments, signage, gear, etc.)
With $4000 I can pay the models, photographer, locations, makeup artist, hair stylist, and additional crew to shoot a Fall/Winter photoshoot, and for digital photo cleanup.
With $6000 I can hire a part time assistant during the production and delivery cycle.
With $7000 I can expand the product development and include sizes 24 - 30.
With $8000 I can rent booth space and show at Women's Wear in Nevada (WWIN) or Pool/Magic Expo which could potentially get us into large department stores and boost us to the next level.
With $9000 I can have 500 yards of custom printed silk jersey made so there would be no sold out fabric patterns ever again.
With $15,000 I can develop the Fall/Winter 2013/14, and purchase fabrics for production of the second season.
That's only $65,550. We can totally pull that off here on Kickstarter!
I've been so lucky to work with incredibly talented professionals who've helped me develop the line and shoot a gorgeous lookbook and catalog, but the cost of production is a huge hurdle.
the Cabiria SS13 Collection Catalog
Why should I donate if I'm not a plus size woman?
The world is full of messages out there telling people that they don't deserve good things if they don't fit a certain size range, are the correct shape, color, height, etc. To be plus size becomes a moral crime, and people absorb this judgement as a personal fact, lowering self esteem and self worth. When there are no beautiful clothes of equal quality in stores, it perpetuates this ugliness. It's a step in the right direction to send a message that ALL people deserve the same positive options and access to beautiful clothes.
Plus, our donation swag tote bags, mugs, chocolates and Gregory's Coffee fit everyone perfectly.
About the Designer:
I have spent over two decades working as an award winning costume designer and wardrobe stylist for film, television and theater, among other roles in the garment industry. I am also a size 18 - 20, and know how frustrating it can be to want the luxurious fabrics and fine craftsmanship available to smaller sizes, but feel the offerings in most stores aren’t right for your age, spirit or professional needs, or they have nothing even approaching a plus size.
Why is Cabiria Different from other Plus lines?
Cabiria is made entirely in the USA, using sumptuous fabrics, ebullient prints and colors, and beautiful craftsmanship. Each fabric is available in a limited quantity, so ordering a run creates exclusivity for each store and each customer. We believe in cutting for the fullness of the plus size figure, ease of movement, considerate details that make you feel good in your clothes, and for long term wearability. This creates a community that is entitled to the same choices available to straight size women. Modern classics that have no use for shy attitudes. We deserve better clothes!
the plus size market and our place in it
What does Cabiria mean (& how do I say it)?
pronunciation courtesy of a nice Italian lady on Forvo.com/languages/it/
I took the name Cabiria from the 1957 Italian film “Nights of Cabiria” by Federico Fellini. In the film, Franca Marzi plays a woman of stature, size, and most importantly, unapologetic, smoldering sexiness. Looking through mid-century European cinema, I found a trend of big, brazen women unafraid of life. Cabiria is dedicated to this attitude of daring audacity.
the sketches with lots of fabric options not yet produced
What's Do I Get?:
I thought long and hard about what would appeal to all genders, sizes, and desires, and what would tie in with the beautiful scenery of mid-century Trastevere - a neighborhood in Rome, just west of the Tiber River and south of the Vatican. This is what I came up with:
a coloring book!
complete with the name of each style and the actress and film that inspired it. It's in PDF form so you can just download and color away as many times as you like. And yes, I skipped class the days Rose Fabricant at Pratt taught faces and hands. Color them in yourself and improve the sketch! Please!
a bistro mug!
it's curvy and kinda sexy for a mug, right? I 'shopped our logo on this one but you'll get this classic 14 oz. Italian bistro mug capable of handling a doppio con panna any morning.
Gregory's Coffee! (a full bodied Italian roast, naturally)
this is one of my favorite incentives. Gregory's Coffee is an independent (yay!) coffee chain with a store on 39th and 7th Ave., a block from Cabiria's pattern and samplemaking facilities, and 1.5 blocks from the production factory. They make great coffee, and this one is an espresso blend with beans from small farms in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. I like the idea of small businesses in the Garment District supporting each other, and this coffee is yummy!
a shopping tote!
yeah, I use exclamation marks a lot. Anyway, this big, heavy canvas tote is black and white, with our logo right there so you can declare your love for black and white movies and curvy clothes while shopping for radicchio and Asti Spumante at the mercato degli agricoltori or Eataly.
chocolate AND espresso, together!
delicious dark chocolate covered espresso beans will jump start your candy eating experience! Superior Nuts and Chocolate have been making great chocolates for many years, and make lots of versions. If dark chocolate espresso beans aren't your thing, they have other flavors and even decaf. Decaf candy!
In Summary:
We celebrate women in beautifully made, well cut, modern clothing that shows off their figures. Our fabrics and workmanship are comparable with high-end labels, and our prices are comparable with better designers in the RTW market. This is a market base that already exists for straight size women, and is well represented in stores for them. We fill a niche for plus-size women who want high quality clothing, extraordinary fabrics, and who aren't afraid to be noticed.
I am bringing my years of expertise, high standards and love of beautiful things to you. We deserve better clothes, and together, we can bring them to stores this Spring!
Risks and challenges
Putting together a collection is a balancing act with many moving parts. The season delivery schedule is determined by stores, and in a more meta sense, the weather, so hard deadlines are going to be in place. There are also pitfalls in dealing with stores' buying requirements, as well as production facilities' minimums and scheduling. There are a myriad of challenges in place for a physical stock based project.
Luckily, I've been in fashion and film for over 20 years, and am now a very skilled plate spinner. I've also put in a ton of legwork letting people in the plus size communities know about the line, and getting them interested in the clothes. I'm my own harshest critic and hardest worker, but that also means I deliver results of which I can be proud and willing to wear.
Learn about accountability on KickstarterFAQ
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I would love to! Proper fit is an art, and can't be mathematically determined alone as many of us plus size folks know from trying on very odd garments made from a straight size into a plus without alteration. You need a fit model within a few sizes of the target range so you can go up or down without distortion.
I would need to hire a good fit model in a size 28 in order to address an entirely new development of each pattern in the line. There would need to be samples made and multiple fittings, much like there were on the current range, and the fit model would need to be paid as well. Then, each perfected pattern would need to be sent to the grader to have those sizes nested up or down properly.
I've figured out that at a minimum, that would cost me $1000 per style, which is $7000. I've also outlined it in the Stretch Goals Update #6 here:
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Yes I do! I addressed them at length in Update #6, but here it is again. Please keep in mind that each of these numbers (tiered by amount, not priority) is ALONE, not an aggregate number, and are conservative estimates. I'm happy to discuss in private message how I came up with each amount if you want more info.:
With $900 I can buy the most amazing Bemberg lining that's in limited supply, but could become a signature look for the company, especially as a finishing trim or full lining. With $1000 I can buy ad space in http://www.plus-model-mag.com/, http://skorchmagazine.com/,http://dailyvenusdiva.com/, http://www.justasbeautiful.com/, and a few other plus size fashion online magazines to promote pre-sales and encourage retailer and direct customer interest. With $1250 I can work with http://www.theapparelagency.com/market-preparation or http://loveindiedesign.com/ to streamline production delivery and make sure it's all done according to industry expectations. With $1750 per location, I can do a trunk show with models and refreshments at a plus size boutique interested in doing pre-sales, for instance in http://www.thevoluptuousvixen.com/, http://www.bomb-shell-boutique.com/, http://www.gussiedup.ca/, and http://vivelafemme.com/. (this pays for flight, meals, hotel, car, models, refreshments, signage, gear, etc.) With $4000 I can pay the models, photographer, locations, makeup artist, hair stylist, and additional crew to shoot a Fall/Winter photoshoot, and for digital photo cleanup. With $6000 I can hire a part time assistant during the production and delivery cycle. With $7000 I can expand the product development and include sizes 24 - 30. With $8000 I can rent booth space and show at http://www.wwinshow.com/or http://www.magiconline.com/pooltradeshow which could potentially get us into large department stores and boost us to the next level. With $9000 I can have 500 yards of custom printed silk jersey made so there would be no sold out fabric patterns ever again. With $15,000 I can develop the Fall/Winter 2013/14, and purchase fabrics for production of the second season. That's only $65,550. We can totally pull that off here on Kickstarter!
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Part of this campaign is so I can produce physical stock, and part is to encourage presales to independent boutiques of this stock. In some cases, the dresses are priced higher than some stores are comfortable with buying outright, so showing support for your local store and telling them that you want Cabiria in their stores, or even a Trunk Show to generate orders, really helps us. I'm a HUGE fan of independent small businesses, so even if Cabiria isn't right for you, please patronize those plus size boutiques and show them love with your cash. (that doesn't sound exactly right, but you get it).
I will open the online store http://www.store.cabiriastyle.com once this production order is cut and sewn, so that I am a) not delaying your shipment, and b) not undercutting my valued brick and mortar stores.
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I agree that Plus Petite is one of the most underserved markets in the plus size fashion world. Like the extended sizes, it would take a similar amount of development and money (about $1000 per style, per season, minimum) to make a separate Plus Petite line feasible. There is a dress in the current line, the Francesca, that would be great for you though. It has a swooping waistline that is peaked in the front, goes diagonal a bit, then swoops a little lower in the back. This creates a little bit of bias at the waist, so that it clings to your curves, as well as skipping the need to actually sit at your true waistline. The Lucia, which I'm wearing in the video but is not yet in production has a similar waistline, and I really line how it works, so I'll be employing that in the future. The Sofia and Giuseppina would also probably work well because they aren't blousey in the torso and are elasticized waists. I also have several waistline agnostic maxi dresses in the Fall/Winter projected line (crossed fingers!) that will work wonders as well.
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Nope, sorry. It's important for me to help independent plus size boutiques thrive, so I have decided on a non-compete pricing strategy on my own site. I will be offering end of season sales on items in the store, simply to raise funds to produce the next season's goods, but it will be comparable with the stores.
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Please check out our size chart: http://www.cabiriastyle.com/size_guide.html to determine what the sizes mean to you. I gathered a lot of market research and based these sizes on size charts available at Salon Z, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales Woman, and a number of high end plus brands, as well as the US Apparel Size Standards and added ease because these fabrics have a low or nonexistent lycra content to them. You will find that the truest size comparison will be to the stores listed above.
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Many manufacturers choose to skip fit issues to sell to a much broader customer base by "ganging up" sizes. If a garment has 8% lycra, and is made in a 1x, it will tend to fit a 14, 16, or 18, with the middle size fitting best, and so much rubber in it that it will accomodate any range of motion restrictions. The key is that it doesn't fit beautifully, and the fabric deteriorates quickly after washes or wearings. It's also cheaper for a manufacturer to make 1x, 2x, 3x, etc. because they can sell to more body sizes while making fewer patterns and grading. They just simply don't fit as well.
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Silk. Good silk. Fit. Finishing details like bound seams and stitch counts and adjustable straps. Attention to details like button quality and hem depth. Elastic casings instead of merrowed in, so if you wear the dress for years and the elastic goes, it can be replaced, instead of chucking the whole thing. Better fabric than what's in the market currently with most designers. Pieces made in the US in factories with fairly compensated employees. Fabrics that won't pill after 3 wearings, or develop that eyelash hairiness from broken lycra strands. Fabrics that don't make you feel like you're wearing extruded plastic bottles. Fabrics that make you feel great wearing them, and wear well.
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This is an important matter of perspective. As plus size consumers, we've been divided into camps our whole shopping lives. We can't buy from ANY store, so we select out categories by price point, age range, fiber content, hipness, and propriety for our lives. For instance, Marina Rinaldi has lovely quality, but makes me feel like someone's mom. Cabiria's dresses are made in the US, produced in small quantities, which drives up the price, and purchases job lots of great fabrics, so it's more expensive than having volume of 1000's of yards printed just for us. It's not as expensive as retail, but it's not cheap either. I have received criticism from straight size fashion friends that the prices are too low, that there's no way for Cabiria to grow and recoup costs from starting up, but we have become so accustomed to not having any choice except this very narrow window of price, that anything outside that becomes shocking. If we allowed ourselves to walk into boutiques around the country that make similar quality pieces as Cabiria, we'd find much higher pricing the norm.
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We in the plus size market are gaining all sorts of ground in social arenas, and we are becoming more vocal about demanding that we are heard. This can only make the world a better place for people of all stripes to be seen as equals. I do not insist that Cabiria's clothes are necessary or appropriate for every woman or every occasion. But I do insist that we need to be able to make a decision if we want the thing, and want to spend the money on it, that we have that option. Not only choose from a paucity of options and make the best of what we've got. I can help in baby steps, and if there are many of us creating change, we can make it happen.
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I won't definitively say no, but probably not. My heart isn't in it. There are so many competing clothing lines out there for straight sizes, it's just not important to me, other than I hear I'm disappointing my smaller pals. I will hang out and offer advice in dressing rooms with them, however.
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I can do that, but it would be on a case by case basis (I suppose that's the nature of custom work), and it would have to cover the costs of the one off piece. By their nature, they are always priced considerably higher than factory production runs, and I cannot change that. While I'm a decent seamstress, I'm not a seamstress to the quality that I demand in my garments, and would need to hire someone to do that work.
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Oooooh! Fun! Talk to me!
Rewards
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Pledge $1 or more
18 backers
• a Cabiria e-letter with updates and previews before the general public has access
• inclusion on the Thank You page of our website as an individual or group, a company, or in tribute to anotherEstimated delivery: -
Pledge $10 or more
21 backers
Everything above plus:
• a handwritten thank you note from Eden Miller, designer and founder of CabiriaEstimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $20 or more
26 backers
Everything above plus:
• a downloadable Coloring Book in pdf format of Cabiria’s original sketches with info on the actresses who inspired the style namesEstimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $40 or more
13 backers
Everything above plus:
• Cabiria 14oz logo imprinted bistro mugEstimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $50 or more
23 backers
Everything above plus:
• an exclusive gift on our websiteEstimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $100 or more
9 backers
Everything above plus:
• an exclusive gift on our website
• a 12oz bag of Limited Edition “Cabiria Roast” – a Full Bodied Italian Blend from NYC’s Garment District based independent coffee company Gregory’s CoffeeEstimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $150 or more
8 backers
Everything above plus:
• an exclusive gift on our website
• Cabiria’s logo imprinted heavy weight large canvas tote bagEstimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $250 or more
1 backer
Everything above plus:
• the option of a copy of Federico Fellini’s 1970 film “Fellini’s Satyricon” on DVD, OR a copy of Fellini’s 1963 film 8 ½ on DVD or Blu-ray, OR Fellini’s 1973 film Amarcord on DVD or Blu-ray, OR Fellini’s 1954 film La Strada on DVD, all from the Criterion Collection.Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $350 or more
1 backer
Everything above plus:
• an exclusive gift on our website
• 1 lb. of dark chocolate covered espresso beans from the Superior Nut CompanyEstimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $500 or more
4 backers
This is where it starts REALLY getting interesting!
Everything above plus:
• ONE dress in a style of your choice in the first season’s collection, in a limited fabric production run. This means people who have a dress made of this fabric will be donors at this level and higher, and only as long as the yardage is available. It will be a truly unique piece (sizes 12 – 24 only).Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $750 or more
2 backers
Everything above plus:
• TWO dresses from styles of your choice in the first season’s collection, in a limited fabric production run (sizes 12 – 24 only) (*replaces quantity from above offer).Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $1,000 or more
2 backers
Everything above plus:
• THREE dresses from styles of your choice in the first season’s collection, in a limited fabric production run (sizes 12 – 24 only). (*replaces quantity from above offer)
• 2 lb. of dark chocolate covered espresso beans from the Superior Nut Company (*replaces quantity from above offer)Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $1,500 or more
0 backers
Everything above plus:
• FOUR dresses from styles of your choice in the first season’s collection, in a limited fabric production run (sizes 12 – 24 only). (*replaces quantity from above offer)Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $1,750 or more
0 backers
Everything above plus:
• FIVE dresses from styles of your choice in the first season’s collection, in a limited fabric production run (sizes 12 – 24 only). (*replaces quantity from above offer)Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $2,000 or more
0 backers
Everything above plus:
• SIX dresses from styles of your choice in the first season’s collection, in a limited fabric production run (sizes 12 – 24 only). (*replaces quantity from above offer)Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $2,500 or more
0 backers
Everything above plus:
• SEVEN of the styles from the first season’s collection. That is the entire first collection of Cabiria in a limited fabric production run (sizes 12 – 24 only). (*replaces quantity from above offer)
• Eden will also happily take you and up to 3 companions out to dinner in New York City, or in a city that is on a mutually agreeable date that corresponds with a marketing or buying trip for Cabiria.Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $5,000 or more
0 backers
Everything above plus:
• A dress style will be named for you or whomever you’d like to honor
• Eden will happily take you and up to 5 companions out to dinner in New York City, or in a city that is on a mutually agreeable date that corresponds with a marketing or buying trip for Cabiria (*replaces quantity from above offer)Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $7,500 or more
0 backers
Everything above plus:
• A garment of your choice every season - Spring/Summer & Fall/Winter collections - for 5 years (*replaces quantity from above offer)
• Eden will come to your home or office to have a private fitting and wardrobe consultation (Continental US only)Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world -
Pledge $10,000
0 backers
Everything above plus:
• THREE garments of your choice every season - Spring/Summer & Fall/Winter collections - for 5 years (*replaces quantity from above offer)Estimated delivery:Ships anywhere in the world
Funding period
- (30 days)
