Many consumers often struggle with the physical insecurity of the body and make clothing purchase decisions based on how a piece of clothing makes their body appear – not just the way the garment looks on the hanger.
This is what Sheer Sebag is trying to overcome when developing her collection of black dresses. After launching Sheer’s clothing design in early August, Sebag explained that she developed this concept for her new business through personal struggles with body image, dress and corset.
“I found that the corset products on the market are not good enough,” she explained. “I decided to create an integrated work that basically provides women with more innovative solutions to the daily struggles we experience with our bodies and our image.”
The all-in-one solution that Sebag called the “magical dress” was a little black dress that was redesigned to include a corset in the outfit. Available in two styles – Sheer Classic and Sheer Mini – this dress is a versatile piece for ages, occupations and sizes. From the 20-something who planned the evening to the professionals involved in work-related activities, Sebag designed the three-layer dress to look elegant.
“You have an outer layer, this is a simple shell seen from the outside,” she said. “There are two layers inside that provide compression, similar to a traditional corset – but better. It’s very thin and completely invisible from the outside. You have extra double support on the underwear.”
To help create Sheer, Sebag received guidance from the textile-recognized Tosha Hays (formerly Spanx) as her product consultant. Currently serving as the Chief Product Officer of Advanced Functional Fabrics (AFFOA) in the United States, Hays’ insight allows Sebag to understand the need for different fabrics for each physical problem.
“She has a great background and experience. We just contacted by chance, she liked the idea,” Sebag said of meeting with Hays. “I was lucky enough to find her. I am ruthless. If I intend to create this product, it must be the kind of person.”
These women are going to make a dress that includes a base and a seamless look, without the discomfort of the fabric that pinches and squeezes the skin, often leading to bulging.
“This is a solution to the serious problems we deal with every day as women,” Sebag explained. “It’s more than just a product – it’s a tool that helps them look and feel the best.”
Inspired by the Italian-inspired design, the woman decided to use ponte fabric on the outside for a sense of luxury. The middle layer includes a jersey bra built into the design. Extending down from the chest, there is a lightweight warp knit that provides stretch and recovery, making traditional materials more powerful and comfortable. The last component is a satin panel that relieves the infamous belly of the abdomen.
“We launched traditional classics and minis, which are two small lengths of everyday black dresses,” Sebag said. These designs are $375 and $325, respectively.
The company based in Calabasas, Calif., manufactures parts in Vietnam and will expand its products through initial design to meet growing customer demand.
“We will be launching many different colors in both styles,” Sebag said. “The first request I got was ‘Do you have sleeves? I want to hide my arm fat.'”
To meet this need, Sheer will release different tailored dresses to alleviate other physical problems faced by women. In addition to dresses, Sheer will also expand this fall to provide other shaping solutions for wardrobe problems, as Sebag has great plans for her growing collection.
“This is more than just a dress,” she said. “I plan to get into sportswear and many other things. Now, I want to focus on one thing at a time, not overwhelming my consumers, just to prove my concept and quality first.”