Smita Diwan
Fashion isn’t just about trends; it’s about identity, inclusivity, and empowerment. With the launch of Beyond The Curve (BTC), VIRGIO is rewriting the rules of style for curvy women in India. Co-created with actor and body-positivity advocate Anjali Anand, this first-of-its-kind line celebrates fashion for real bodies without compromise. We sat down with Amar Nagaram, Founder & CEO of VIRGIO, and Anjali Anand, Co-Creator of BTC, to talk about community, creativity, and their shared vision of changing the fashion game.
Q1. To both:
“Beyond The Curve” is described as more than just adding sizes — it’s about rethinking fashion for real bodies. What was the spark that pushed you to start this journey?
Amar’s Response
I think the real spark came from really listening to our community. At VIRGIO, we’ve always believed fashion should evolve with the people who wear it. Over time, we realised there was a huge gap between how the industry defines size and how real women experience their bodies. “Beyond The Curve” wasn’t born out of a trend, but out of empathy – out of understanding that women weren’t looking for a “plus-size” tag; they were looking for fashion that fit their personality, not just their measurements.
So, we built this line to challenge the old systems – in design, fit, production, and even storytelling. Every fabric, every silhouette, and every campaign is designed to make women feel seen, not sized.
Anjali’s Response
For me, the spark was personal. As a woman who has lived the frustration of loving fashion but not finding my size in it, I wanted to rewrite that story – not just for myself but for every woman who’s ever felt left out. When Amar and the VIRGIO team reached out, what clicked instantly was that this wasn’t a token attempt at inclusivity. They genuinely wanted to rebuild fashion from the inside out.
“Beyond The Curve” is more than clothes – it’s confidence stitched into every seam. It’s about celebrating style without conditions, and creating a space where every woman can finally say, this fits me, not the other way around.
Also Read: A Cozy Afternoon with VIRGIO: Celebrating Beyond The Curve with Anjali Anand
Q2. To Amar:
Virgio has always stood for trend-first and sustainable fashion. How did you balance sustainability, exclusivity, and inclusivity while creating BTC?
That balance was the real challenge and also what made Beyond The Curve so exciting for us. At VIRGIO, we’ve always believed sustainability isn’t just about the planet, it’s also about people. Inclusivity, for us, is an extension of that same philosophy. When you make fashion that fits more real bodies and lasts longer, you’re already designing more responsibly.
From a product standpoint, we didn’t want Beyond The Curve to be an extension of existing patterns – we rebuilt our fits, our grading systems, and even our sampling process using data and real-body studies, not assumptions. Each style was tested across body types to ensure comfort and confidence go hand in hand.
And to keep it exclusive yet accessible, we focused on smaller, curated drops instead of mass-producing styles. That’s the VIRGIO way to make fewer, better things that don’t just fit the moment, but the mindset of modern women.
Q3. To Anjali:
Inclusivity is at the heart of BTC. How do you see this redefining the way women, especially curvy women, experience fashion in India?
I think for the first time, curvy women are not being asked to “adjust.” They’re being invited to belong. For years, fashion in India made us feel like we had to hide, compromise, or settle for whatever fit, not whatever felt us. Beyond The Curve flips that narrative completely.
When women walk into a VIRGIO store or scroll through the BTC collection, I want them to feel seen not as an afterthought, but as the main character. This isn’t about making bigger clothes; it’s about reimagining style, comfort, and representation.
If even one woman looks at a BTC piece and says, “That looks like it was made for me,” then we’ve already begun to redefine what fashion in India feels like – inclusive, confident, and beautifully real.
Q4. To Amar:
Beyond The Curve relies heavily on technology and community data. Can you share how these tools shaped the collection differently compared to traditional fashion launches?
Technology and community data are the backbone of how we build at VIRGIO, and Beyond The Curve. Traditionally, fashion is designed top-down – a designer sketches, a pattern gets made, and the customer adjusts. We flipped that process.
We started by listening to our community – hundreds of women sharing their fit struggles, comfort preferences, and confidence triggers. Then we mapped trends to design that would suit curvy bodies, built around real proportions, not textbook measurements.
The result is a collection that’s not just size-inclusive but fit-intelligent. It moves with you, not against you. For us, that’s the future of fashion where data serves design, and community shapes creation.
Q5. To Anjali:
From fittings to fabric trials, you were involved in every stage. Which moment of the co-creation process felt the most powerful or emotional for you?
Before the launch, we had gone through so many fit iterations and were in extreme panic close to the launch. And then there was this one fitting day somewhere in April I’ll never forget. I walked into the studio, tried on a dress we’d been working on for weeks and for the first time, it didn’t need to be “adjusted.” It just fit. Perfectly. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, this is what it’s supposed to feel like.
That moment was emotional because it wasn’t just about the dress – it was about undoing years of conditioning. Every trial, every fabric test, every design conversation was a reminder that women like me finally had a say in how fashion should feel.
To be part of a process where my lived experience became design input – not feedback after launch, that’s what made Beyond The Curve so powerful. It wasn’t made for us, it was made with us.
Q6. To both:
What challenges did you face while creating BTC, and how did you overcome them together?
Amar’s Response
The biggest challenge was unlearning how the system has always defined size and fit. Most fashion frameworks are built on standard measurements that simply don’t represent real women. So we had to rebuild from the sizing charts to the way we drape, cut, and test garments. That meant more iterations, longer trials, and a lot of patience.
But what made it worth it was our collaboration with Anjali and our community. Every challenge became insight. Every delay became an opportunity to get it right. Together, we weren’t just making a new line- we were setting new standards for how inclusive fashion should be created in India.
Anjali’s Response
For me, the hardest part was emotional. There were moments when I’d try a sample and think, “If this doesn’t fit me, who will it fit?” But instead of frustration, the team turned that into fuel. We’d go back, tweak, test again, and again.
It was humbling to see a team so open to feedback and co-creation. Amar never treated this like a celebrity collab – he treated it like building something with heart. And that’s how we overcame every challenge through honesty, teamwork, and a shared belief that every woman deserves to feel incredible in her own skin.
Also Read: Virgio Wins PETA India’s 2024 Vegan Fashion Award; Launches New Collections
Q7. To Amar:
Virgio is trying to redefine the future of fashion for mindful consumers. What role does BTC play in expanding Virgio’s cultural and business vision globally?
Beyond The Curve is a huge part of how we’re reimagining fashion’s future – not just for India, but globally. VIRGIO has always stood for mindful fashion that merges technology, transparency, and trend. With BTC, we’ve taken that ethos into one of fashion’s most underrepresented spaces – size inclusivity.
What makes BTC special is that it isn’t limited by geography. The emotions it represents – self-acceptance, confidence, and freedom to express – are universal. When we talk about taking VIRGIO global, this is the culture we want to export: fashion that celebrates individuality, not conformity.
From a business perspective, Beyond The Curve also expands our design intelligence. It’s reshaping how we think about fit, supply chains, and consumer feedback loops. And culturally, it’s our statement to the world that the future of fashion isn’t about size, it’s about self.
Q8. To Anjali:
You’ve called BTC “bold and unapologetic.” What message do you hope women take away when they wear these pieces?
I hope women feel unstoppable when they wear BTC. I want them to look in the mirror and think, “This is me – bold, confident, and completely enough.” For so long, fashion told us to tone down or cover up. BTC says the opposite – be seen, be loud, be proud. That’s the message.
Q9. To both:
Looking ahead, what can the community expect from the next chapters of “Beyond The Curve”? Will it continue evolving with women’s voices at the center?
Amar’s Response
Absolutely. Beyond The Curve was never meant to be a one-time collection – it’s a movement that will keep evolving with the women who inspire it. The next chapters are about listening even more closely to our community whether it’s expanding categories, introducing new fits, or taking the line global.
Our goal is to keep redefining what mindful, inclusive fashion can look like powered by real feedback, real stories, and real women. BTC is proof that when you co-create with your audience, you don’t just build clothes; you build culture.
Anjali’s Response
This is just the beginning. The women who believed in Beyond The Curve from day one are the reason it exists and they’ll continue to shape where it goes next. I see Beyond The Curve growing into a platform where women can share their stories, influence designs, and see themselves reflected in every campaign.
It’s not about trends or timelines anymore – it’s about women leading the narrative. If we can keep that promise alive of representation, voice, and joy – Beyond The Curve will keep becoming bigger than fashion itself.
