As a petite woman, I’m always on the look out for petite brands, especially ones that are petite-exclusive. Back in the summer, I discovered the website for Lotus Premium Denim, founded by California girl, Sarah Coronado. This line of jeans fits both short and average-height women up to around 5’6″, and is available online. And unlike many other petite lines it is neither connected with a “mainstream” collection nor is there only one “petite” length. In fact, two styles are available at both 28″ and 30″ inseams and one at 29.5″! I was able to “speak” with Sarah via email, and here’s what she had to say:
The three styles at Lotus Premium Denim (from left to right: Inspire (Vintage Blue), Joy (Indigo Blue) and Love (True Blue). Price points are $120-$129 US
On what makes her line different from other petite denim collections (including those connected with “mainstream” lines like Paige and Joe’s Jeans):
Petite doesn’t come in just one length or size. I wanted to create a line that addresses the average height women (around 5’4”) as well as those who are a little bit shorter or taller. With varying inseams and cuts that complement a broad range of women in general, Lotus offers this solution in classic styles and washes. My dream is to create a larger collection of styles as we grow.
On the line’s name, Lotus Premium Denim:
I was given the name Lotus Premium Denim by a former designer at Levi’s who previously free-lanced for me. She was inspired by a trip to Cambodia where she saw Lotus flowers in full bloom. Being that I’m Cambodian American, she told me it took her back to the time she visited this beautiful country.
On her size range (24-31 waist) and whether other sizes will be produced in the future:
We have seen more women asking for a few sizes above 31, so we’re considering running our sizes up for future production. The average woman is about 5’4” in America, and the most popular sizes we’ve sold out on ranges between 28-30.
On her models’ heights (5’3″ and 5’6″):
I am 5’2” and I’ve had the pleasure of working with models as petite as 5’ to as tall as 5’8”. My goal isn’t to just focus on petites, but really the average height women, which definitely includes us petites.
On the “Lotus” Girl – who she is, what she does, etc…:
The beauty of a lotus woman starts with the value she places on herself. As she grows to love the skin that she’s in, her beauty pours in all areas of her life, not just skin deep.
Lotus Premium Denim logo (taken from the Instagram page)
On whether brick and mortar stores are in the future:
It’s in our roadmap. We definitely want a flagship in San Francisco in a few years!
Do you have any tips for people who might want to create their own “non-standard” size line?
I would say that in order to design a really good collection of anything, you have to be your own first customer. Design something that fits your own body, and you will be able to tackle all the issues your customer would thank you for.
Tell me a bit about your trunk shows – I notice that you offer the public the opportunity to host them
We love meeting clients in a cozy and fun atmosphere. Since we’re a start-up, it’s easy for us to be nimble and move quickly with these types of engagements. We offer nice incentives for hostesses who sponsor a trunk show, and have had really good sales conversions.
What is your best selling jean?
We’ve been selling our high waist denim in true blue like crazy. Women love the form and function of it.
Where do you see your collection in the next five years? Ten?
I see Lotus Premium Denim as a brand destination for all things inspiring for women… and with a ton of jeans in our collections to dress women in.
