Roucha Is a New Label Designed to Fit All Women, Not Just Those Who Are 6 Feet Tall and Thin

Roucha

Jill Wenger used to spend a lot of time picking out clothes for other women to wear. As the founder of the multi-brand store Totokaelo, which she sold in 2016, she did all of the buying for her e-commerce platform and brick-and-mortar spaces in New York and Seattle. She also spent a solid amount of time with those women in the dressing rooms of her stores. Wenger’s stock was one of the coolest in the business, with labels that included The Row, Dries Van Noten, Vetements, Jacquemus, and many more. She also had an in-house line of elevated basics like pleated tank dresses and soft tees. Wenger has a discerning eye for interesting and covetable fashion but also, as she discovered during her time with Totokaelo, a frustration with the way it’s all sized. “Out of the 2,400 styles that I would bring into Totokaelo each season, maybe 12 of them would fit an average-size woman like myself without alterations,” she says. “I’m curvy and finding clothing that fits and aligns with my taste level was nearly impossible.” This was the starting point for her next venture: an inclusive line of minimally minded clothing and accessories called Roucha which she launched in November 2017 after taking some time off after the Totokaelo sale.

Roucha, as it states in the founders letter, “is designed for women—curvy, straight, short, and tall. It’s a solution for petite women who are over having to hem all of their clothes, and for tall women on whom clothing is consistently, unintentionally cropped.” A typical label’s sizing chart shows the exact same body type (slim) but at different heights. Roucha’s sizing chart features bodies that are various shapes and heights. The letter continues: “Standard size charts assume that as we get taller, we get larger. Roucha doesn’t make this assumption and offers clothing in varied lengths and widths.”

Furthermore, the clothing in Wenger’s new label is just as desirable and luxurious as those that she used to pull from the runways. Highlights include the menswear-inspired robe coats and the printed satin bias-cut dresses, all at a sweet spot price point (everything is under $600). As Wenger explains, “The most progressive and inspiring designers seek to emphasize women’s individuality and to design expressive clothing that sets their clients apart.” She adds, “Until now, collections with this ethos have been offered in limited sizes. The selection for women under 5 feet 4 inches and above a size 8 is narrow and, frankly, generic. The vast majority lacks an elevated aesthetic and distinct point of view—it’s a blind spot in the industry.” Thanks to Roucha.com, there’s now a new light shining on the possibilities of democratic high fashion.

Here’s a look at Wenger’s chic clothes made for every woman, not just those represented on a typical size chart.