Twenty years ago (or even fifteen if we’re being honest) sheer visibility and the inclusion of oversized models and fashions into the mainstream are virtually unheard of. There’s so much to be proud of about how far we’ve come in the world of plus size fashion, but as with anything, there’s always room for improvement.
Thankfully, more and more brands are growing and retailers are expanding, creating more modern designs and available in a variety of body styles plus size models — this is a step in the right direction, but certainly not the end of the road.
But as plus-size fashion captures the attention of the mainstream media, what matters is that as we grow into an industry of 24 billion people through Statistathat plus major brands and retailers understand what we’re still aiming for and what we need, and to help, we have several places where these brands can start!
Here are a few ways plus-size brands & retailers can kick it out of the Park
Offer us variety in model presentation with size, shape and race
For every celebration plus plus size swimwear collection or lingerie line plus size, there is a size plus retailer that only favors size plus people with an hourglass figure, while ignoring those with an apple or pear body, for example. Plus brand size, General standard and Kiyonna does a great job of recommending more plus size women.
ALSO, instead of adding a size below 14, they should add a size over 3X at least 32 and featured women of all colors and sizes as the face of campaigns and clothing lines. Going to 4X / 5X should be the norm – not the exception.
Contrary to popular belief, we love to dress up and some of us don’t let size dictate our style… but we do need to make choices!
Do not be afraid! More styles, take risks
It seems like when a trend gets hot, some big-name brands and retailers stick to it until the seams fall off. Many large retailers design and sell the same styles over and over again, including popular styles like bodycon dresses, off-the-shoulder tops, split denim, or jumpsuits. While we love a great staple, we need variety in styles, colors, and prints.
Want to influence your profits? Enter each season with the prospect of trying to provide customers with larger-than-life fashion clothing that celebrates all aspects of plus size silhouettes and avoids extreme activity, i.e. clothing too sexy or too old-fashioned.
Give us creative textures, shapes, shadows and have a little fun with it! Do not water down style. Combined with the larger sized models, we can see how these items look and will be inspired to buy.
Make sure mainstream PR firms know and respect the community-scale professionals that exist
While it’s great for plus-size fashion to be included in the mainstream media, we’re defaulting to the media that built the industry – plus-size media. Fashionista curves happens to be one of those full-size media brands with finger-tracking, but there are too many plus size blogsinfluencers and experts that PR can attract and get to know.
This includes photographer, plus size stylists, creative directorand beauty expert. These community scale industry professionals exist and KNOW the market.
Also, listening to and collaborating with more fashion bloggers, influencers and larger media is a step in the right direction, as they often follow the pulse of what’s happening in the real world. and know what we want – not what retailers *think* we need.
Be present at local and national plus-scale events
Make your presence known in the New Year by getting out and supporting your local large-scale community. Attend local events, connect with influencers and bloggers in your area, and support larger events at the national level. Not only is this a great support, but it’s also an easy way to connect if you’re looking to collaborate with others.
You can’t assume that everyone knows your brand, your location or even if you care about the community… Go out and say hello!
Build relationships and keep it 100
The growth of plus size fashion industry is a revolution that is continuing to happen and companies are starting to pay attention to it more and more. Where larger consumers see representation, many brands only see dollar signs. And so they use common buzzwords like “including size” when their offer is anything but.
Companies adopting this approach need to realize that we see what they’re doing, we’re motivated for it and more importantly – we’re talking about it! We are excellent at finding all bills and will not hesitate to spread the word when sudden adoration seems to be produced because it is.
Invest in marketing
Large Market is no longer active with “If you build it, they’ll come” mentality. We have options. There is competition. There is noise. And if you think that simply announcing that you are here is all you need to do as a brand, you’d be wrong. You’ll need a budget to reach influencers, media outlets, run ads, build awareness and relationships.
This is especially true, if you are a straight size brand. The same launch budget you created for in-line sizes needs to be made available to the plus size- AND TIME market.
YES, plus-sized social media managers exist. Yes, there are people who understand how to market to large customers. That’s right, there are experts out there who know how to cut through the noise, reach your target market- to drive and create interest and excitement around your brand. BUT… You need budget AND consistency.
One launch push won’t be enough… let’s see what Black Market in the White House and Old Navy recently did. You must remember what and how Fashion Nova faced us and on our necks about the FN Plus. Or Shein is constantly striving to express and prove herself. You can’t drop a one-time push and think that’s enough… this doesn’t work anymore.
We have more options now than ever before, and if we as a large-scale community want to keep it that way, we have to be firm, loud, and constantly asking for what we want. I need more… Right? Right.
Tell us, what do you think large-scale retailers can do to improve your shopping experience? What are some of your favorite brands that are always relevant?
Let us know in the comments section!
