Plus-size fashion is a hard market to crack but with the average UK dress size hitting 16, many women are left frustrated by designers that seemingly have little knowledge of the female form or how women want to dress. And that is exactly why Evans, who pioneered the first-ever plus-size fashion week, want to change that. The high street store, which falls under Sir Philip Green's Arcadia umbrella,  set up an initiative last year with universities to teach students how to design plus-size clothes for the brand's Cut for Evans range. Evans, which falls under Sir Philip Green's Arcadia umbrella, is giving plus-size fashion a trendy edge . Evans Head of Design, Rebecca Vann Reicher, wanted to change the way the next generation of fashion designers view plus-size. So, she asked students from Nottingham Trent and Kingston University to design a six-piece collection that was fashion forward but not limited by size. A panel of industry experts were brought together in New York to judge the competition. The panel included Whitney Thompson (America’s Next Top Model winner), Susan Moses (stylist for Amber Riley and Queen Latifah), Gary Dakin (JAG Models founder), among others. Susan Moses said of the calibre of the finalists: ‘I love the innovation and was totally inspired by the creativity and the vision that the students have for plus size women.' The high street store set up an initiative last year with universities to teach students how to design plus-size clothes for the brand's Cut for Evans range and now they stock the winner's in store . Students from Nottingham Trent and Kingston University were asked to design a six-piece collection that was fashion forward but not limited by size and Yvonne Shu Yao won with this colourful range . The overall winner Yvonne Shu Yao, a BA student at Nottingham Trent University, took inspiration for her collection from the underwater world. The result is an esoteric range that creates a silhouette aimed to fit and flatter. The SS15 collection was chosen to open the Design Collective Show during LFW and is available to buy in Evans stores and online across the UK, US and Europe now. So what do the plus-size industry think? Rivkie Baum, editor SLiNK magazine, an aspirational fashion and lifestyle for women with curves, said: 'It is great to see that Evans continue to support students breaking into fashion and, of course, continuing to encourage fashion students to think about designing for the growing plus-size fashion market. 'This new collection shown at London fashion week in September was beautiful. The prints are well placed and really calming. 'The Cut continues to be a great success because the classic and easy to wear silhouettes will never date, making these some great investment pieces.' The collection was shown at the SS15 shows at London fashion week in September on Evans' runway .
Evans called on students to design fashion-forward collection . Winner was Yvonne Shu Yao, a BA student at Nottingham Trent University . She took inspiration for her collection from the underwater world . Range was unveiled at London Fashion Week . Industry expert says collection is 'beautiful'