Bigger is better...

British women are shopping for bigger clothes than ever before. Amid warnings that levels of obesity are rising faster here than in any other country, fashion buyers on Britain's high streets are being forced to cater for the larger market.

About time: for too long those with fuller figures, including some of our larger-than-life celebrities, have had to rely on specialist shops that tend to offer a motley selection of tent-like kaftans, unflattering prints and an all-too-generous sprinkling of sequins. Eveningwear, in particular, has been a sartorial mine field for the larger woman.

The numbers of clinically obese people in Britain is expected to treble in the next 20 years, and over the past 50 years the dress size of the average British woman has increased from size 12 to size 16. Over the same period, the average woman's vital statistics, once 36-24-36, now read a shapely 36-29-38.

High street giant Marks and Spencer has created an autumn collection specifically with the larger lady in mind. Much as the successful Per Una range offers designer clothes at high-street prices, the new Plus Collection aims to widen the store's appeal to include women from size 20 to size 28.

Among high-street retailers only Evans offers a substantial choice of fashionable clothes in larger sizes, and while Topshop prides itself on offering items in size 16, finding anything bigger than a size 14 in most stores is almost impossible.

The new range from M&S, which includes denim jackets and jeans, well-cut leather and suede jackets as well as basics such as twinset knits and flattering bootcut trousers, has been developed with the help of a team of women all sized 20 to 28, who gave feedback at every stage of the design process to ensure the right look and feel for each garment.

Attention has been paid to details including side splits in shirts and subtle elastic panels in trouser waistbands.

At last, a bigger choice for the bigger woman.