Business Week, October 2008
Apparel Brands Partnering with Alvanon and IFTH can now Leverage Industry-Leading Size and Fit Data and Expertise of the French Market
New York & Paris - Alvanon, the global size and fit expert, today announced a collaboration with the Institute Francais du Textile et de l'Habillement (IFTH) to create standard French sizes for the apparel industry. The study, conducted by IFTH in 2006, which included more than 11,500 scans of French citizens in 37 different sites in France, provides powerful insight into how to improve fit for the French body for apparel brands both in France and those seeking to gain a competitive advantage in the market.
"Paris is one of the world-leading capitals of the fashion industry and we are thrilled thrill to partner with IFTH and extend Alvanon's industry-leading expertise into France," said Janice Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Alvanon. "Alvanon collaborates with brands and retail leaders across the globe and has become the leading expert in all things pertaining to size and fit in the apparel industry. By taking the guesswork out of size and fit, Alvanon allows brands to strategically focus more on style and design. Brands in the French market can now leverage this unique study to more efficiently create better fitting clothes for their target demographics, ultimately improving consumer loyalty."
During the size campaign, IFTH found that the largest percentage (20.6%) of French females corresponded to a French size 40, and the largest percentage of men also corresponded to a Men's size 40. Alvanon has included the findings of the IFTH study in the AlvaForm Standard Series - IFTH, a line of fit mannequins for the apparel industry that represents the most up-to-date sample sizes of French men and women. Alvanon has long been the world-leading provider of fit mannequins, helping global brands design better fitting garments with improved speed to market and optimized fit approval processes.
"IFTH is excited to be able to work with Alvanon to facilitate the needs of the French apparel industry," said Christian Bedeau, Chief Executive Officer of IFTH. "Not only does Alvanon provide the most advanced tailor's mannequin in the global marketplace, but Alvanon's expertise in foreign markets can be a great asset to French Brands looking to expand their business overseas. We look forward to strong collaboration between our companies."
Alvanon recently released the most extensive collection of body scan research ever performed in China. Combined with the new research in France, the company is continuing to expand its world-leading resources and expertise of body measurements for the global apparel industry.
Alvanon will be conducting conferences in both Lille and Paris on October 22 and 23, respectively, to share its findings with the French apparel industry. To join this conference, please contact Severine Nowak, IFTH at snowak@ifth.org
| France | US | UK | China | |
| height | 5'4" | 5'4" | 5'4" | 5'4" |
| weight | 137 lbs | 155 lbs | 143 lbs | 125 lbs |
| chest | 37" | 37" | 38" | 31" |
| waist | 31.5" | 34" | 34" | 28" |
| low hip | 39.5" | 42" | 40.5" | 35" |
| France | US | UK | China | |
| height | 5'9" | 5'9" | 5'9" | 5'8" |
| weight | 170 lbs | 181 lbs | 174 lbs | 145 lbs |
| chest | 40" | 41" | 42" | 35" |
| waist | 35.2" | 37" | 37" | 31" |
| low hip | 36.7" | 41" | 42" | 36" |
Alvanon is the global size and fit expert, providing full-service, integrated fit solutions for the apparel industry. With the largest database of body scan research in the world, Alvanon combines real-world industry expertise and innovative technology to offer a holistic approach to fit and sizing, encompassing both strategic insight as well as practical product development tools.
Dr. Kenneth Wang founded Alvanon in 2001 to address the industry's prevalent size and fit misconceptions and to develop solutions that would revolutionize the way the industry understood and leveraged the concept of fit. Since that time, Alvanon has grown to become the global leader in providing custom fit mannequins and solutions to the world's leading brands. Alvanon's suite of products and services integrate seamlessly with every stage of the product development and production process, helping to increase internal and external process efficiency and decrease overall time to market.
For more information, please visit www.alvanon.com
About IFTH (Institute Francais du Textile et de l'Habillement)
A true technological centre at the service of industry, IFTH offers a range of solutions for the development of new products or processes for the different markets: Transport, Health, Apparel or Building. In order to assist companies in their innovation approach, the Institute has developed a network of service platforms for industrial Textile, Apparel and Technical Textile companies.
For more information, please visit www.ifth.org