Extended-size Expansions

Activity in the historically underdeveloped “plus-size” sector of the fashion industry has been growing and evolving over the past five years. This fall, the interest is as intense as ever, with a number of retailers and brands enhancing their assortments of extended-size apparel. Many of the new initiatives represent add-ons to existing ranges rather than segregated collections. Several are inclusive of underserved consumers on both ends of the spectrum, encompassing products for not only plus-size but also petite shoppers.

Marketers are using a number of strategies to strengthen their extended-size offerings:

• Aligning with specialists. J. Crew paired with Universal Standard, a start-up brand focused on inclusivity across the spectrum from size 00 to 40, for a series of collaborations this summer that are continuing into fall. The partnership brought J. Crew’s size range up to 24 for the first time.
• Launching private labels. Kohl’s introduced EVRI, a proprietary brand set for a spring 2019 launch. It will include sizes 0X to 4X in tops and 14W to 30W in bottoms. British retailer Oasis debuted a plus-size collection under its own brand, Oasis Curve, for the first time; it caters to U.K. sizes 20 to 26 and is available online only to start. Last year the company launched an extended-size collection through a collaboration with Simply Be.
• Testing the market with capsule collections and unique items. Lingerie e-tailer Nasty Gal launched a 25-piece capsule that extends to size 18, up from its traditional maximum of 10. (It has generated controversy for excluding higher sizes from the new venture.) Ace & Jig, a U.S.-based brand focused on unique textile designs, is slowly rolling out new extended-size items, one style at a time, in sizing from XXS to 2X.
• Adding plus sizes to current product arrays. Kohl’s is launching Nike Plus in spring 2019, and many of its licensed brands, including Popsugar, Simply Vera Vera Wang, LC Lauren Conrad, and Jennifer Lopez, have become size-inclusive, as have many of its current private labels.
• Focusing on men. Bonobos announced it would add extended sizes to its male product lines, both in its stores and online, with tops up to 4XL, jackets up to 54, and pants up to 54 waist. Stitch Fix, the subscription styling site, similarly introduced extended sizes for men to its offering, with a focus not only on big and tall customers but smaller men as well.

Note that the majority of the new ventures mentioned here, which represent only a percentage of recent initiatives, were just announced in September, indicating a strong focus on extended sizing for the fall season.

While most of these examples are not licensing-related, licensing and collaboration certainly are a factor in the extended-size market. For a look at the role of licensing and the evolution of the plus-size sector, see our previous posts here, here, and here. And read a discussion of the big-and-tall segment here.