Paige Adams-Geller has a surprising message for fans of her eponymous denim line: Thin isn’t necessarily in.
The L.A.-based former model and pageant queen says she spent years battling anorexia to fit the industry standard, but it was only after she recovered to a healthy weight that her career took off.
“When I went to treatment (for anorexia), I gained weight quickly, and it was a very scary feeling because you don’t know when it’s going to stop,” she recalls. “But that’s when I met the guys from Lucky Brand Jeans, who told me I had the perfect proportions for their line. And it was such an unusual feeling to be rewarded for being fuller and more curvy.”
As a size 6, Adams-Geller’s curves filled out the jeans much better than her size 0 counterparts. In fact, she looked so good in denim that she quickly became the most sought after fit model in a town of tiny tushes.
“Going in and trying on these jeans and having them feel great and look great was a new experience for me,” she says. “And if I started to get too skinny, I wouldn’t get paid – so I had to keep my weight up and that’s when I learned to finally appreciate that I looked healthier and felt better.”
With years of experience under her custom leather belt, Adams-Geller managed to incorporate all she’d learned into a science: The science of fit. By 2005, the newly-minted designer debuted Paige Denim to a public ravenous for proper-fitting jeans. A book and a website specifically designed to match body type to the right cut followed soon after.
“I think that fit never goes out of style no matter what you’re doing in a line. I could do denim, non-denim, jackets, gowns, and to find a great-fitting article of clothing is the most important thing,” she says.
While her brand has taken off amongst young Hollywood celebrities, Adams-Geller wants her clients to know that her jeans are meant to fit everyone. She even makes a point of sending models back to their agencies if they’re too skinny.
“You’re supposed to fill out jeans, you’re not supposed to have a saggy butt!” she says with a laugh. “So it’s been interesting trying to get that message out there while finding a hip, cool model that’s not plus size but looks great in the jeans.”
For more personalized information, check out paigeusa.com.
Perfecting fit
First thing’s first
Stop obsessing over the number sewn into your pants. “People can be fixated on sizes and there’s no set standard in the industry for what a size is,” Paige Adams-Geller advises.
Crack is wack
Ladies and gentlemen, have a seat. “I think that one of the biggest mistakes people make is to not do the sit-down test,” says Paige.
Loose Cannon
On the other hand, too much give isn’t good either. “Most jeans will tend to grow a bit, so you need to walk around in them, bend, flex… you don’t want it to look dumpy.”
