Sexy, Sophisticated Plus Size Clothing in sizes 12-32

Fashion is such a glamorous industry, but that doesn't mean working on a photo shoot is easy. The IGIGI team spent weeks setting up and preparing for a two day photo shoot here in downtown San Francisco. A whole team of people had to come together to create the perfect look and feel for our new Fall collection, which focuses on the chic working woman. And you know what? Our hard work paid off- the shoot was amazing!

The Collection

IGIGI designer Yuliya Zeltser says her inspiration for this season was, "Upscale, elegant and classy looks for professional women." Featuring sexy suiting and office appropriate dresses (and some sexy after work numbers), her collection defines the empowered working woman. Yuliya designs clothes meant to make every woman feel beautiful, sexy and sophisticated. "There is a stigma that you can't succeed if you are voluptuous, but that's so untrue! So for this shoot I wanted to show women succeeding at the highest executive level, regardless of size. Women can break out, break rules - size is not a barrier," she said.

The Makeup

Makeup artist and hair stylist Miles Berdache is a fixture at the IGIGI shoots (below, with model Marritt Pike). A key part of the team, we rely on Miles to keep our models looking fresh but sophisticated. The look for fall 2008, Miles told me, is "Something easy to wear for work, but that can transition into evening." He accomplished this by using a palette of Fall colors like rich browns, slate grays, pretty reds and oranges. He gently accentuated the natural contour of the eye and then topped off the look with a black gel liner to give a natural looking thickness to the eye. For the lip, he used a rosy colored pencil that matched the models natural lip color, then topped it off with plenty of lip gloss in a neutral shade.

The Hair

Again, Miles came through with the perfect hairstyle for the Fall '08 collection. "For the sleek and sophisticated hair style to match the chic working woman vibe of the collection, I chose a low-maintenance bun," he said. "It's great for daytime business but chic and sophisticated enough for dinner after. It's an easy style that stays in place really well and flatters most faces."

To achieve this look, wash and blow your hair out straight. Then, starting from the front, take 2-3 inch wide sections of hair and use a brush or a teasing comb to tease you hair about 4-5 inches out from the scalp around the crown. Next, separate out the bangs and comb them behind your ear. Then, gently brush your hair back into a low ponytail on the left side of your neck and tie it using an elastic that matches your hair color. Tighten the ponytail, but make sure that the crown of your head retains the volume you just created. Then twist the ponytail to make a bun and use plenty of bobby-pins or U-pins to hold it in place. Use a strong or super hold hairspray to secure the look.

The Accessories

Stylist Jennifer Telford (below left, with model Melissa Masi) worked her usual magic by scouring the displays at Nordstrom's, Macy's and Bloomingdales for the hottest in shoes, bags, and accessories. Designer Yuliya Zeltser told Jennifer she was going for a luxe, high end look, and Jennifer delivered with an assortment of baubles both trendy and timeless. We ended up shooting with some mouth watering accessories, like shoes from Via Spiga, Enzo Anglioni and Marc Fisher, bags by Michael Kors and Chanel, jewelry by Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford sunglasses. Don't worry- I'll let you know more about the shoes soon.

The Location

High up on the 24th floor, we staged the shoot in an office building with a to-die-for panoramic view of San Francisco. "I want women to aspire to be powerful, successful executives that work in a penthouse office," said Yuliya. "So the collection was shot in a place that has success written all over it." With the Fall collection focusing on work wear, the setting couldn't have been more appropriate.

The Models

We were lucky to be able to work with two of our favorite models out there right now. You may recognize Melissa from previous IGIGI shoots, and Marritt from our new videos. Both ladies were a pleasure to work with and of course, looked amazing in the clothing! After two days of modeling, I asked them what they thought of the collection. "The clothing says it's OK to be powerful and a woman, it's OK to show off your curves in a tasteful way; you can wear fitted clothes and still be professional," Marritt said. Melissa mentioned, "I like that they appreciate a woman's curves, different body shapes and sizes. I felt sophisticated but still sexy."

Coming Soon: Expect sassing suiting, dresses than mean business, and to-die-for separates that will make you feel in charge of your style!