Plus-size has become a new trend for American women to buy, SHEIN officially enters the plus-size fashion market

The market size of plus-size clothing may be larger than people think.

According to Statista, plus-size women account for nearly 70% of the U.S. female population , with a potential consumption of $24 billion. Moreover, the average size of American women's recent clothing is between 14-16 (1XL-2XL), which means that plus size has become the new average size of American women. In addition, according to NPD data, the growth rate of the plus-size clothing market is almost twice that of the entire clothing market.

The plus-size clothing market with such huge potential has naturally attracted many new brands eager to try, including SHEIN.

According to the SHEIN investment promotion official account, which is a big seller of fast fashion overseas , SHEIN has started a new round of investment promotion for sellers. The underwear/home wear categories clearly mark the size requirements of standard and large sizes . This may be another definite signal that SHEIN is entering the large-size clothing market.

(Picture from: SHEIN Merchants Public Account)

Previously, SHEIN has teamed up with Paris' The All Sizes Catwalk organization to launch a new online advertisement. The advertisement features 8 models of different body shapes and lines, representing women of all ages, figures and personalities. Through this cooperation, it is hoped that the whole society will be more inclusive of women and help users build confidence .

And you can also find out by checking the SHEIN official website that SHEIN has set up a special category of plus-size clothing. The products cover almost all women's clothing categories including jackets, shirts, T-shirts, skirts, pants, underwear, swimwear, etc. The product sizes have also expanded from the usual XS-XL to 5XL, adding 5 large sizes from 1XL to 5XL ↓

Not only SHEIN, as people nowadays pursue more freedom in dressing and body shape, more and more businesses or brands have chosen to enter the plus-size clothing market, including large clothing retailers H&M, ASOS and Mango, as well as luxury brands such as Versace, Chanel and Fendi, which have invited plus-size models to walk the runway in the past two years. In addition, the Victoria's Secret lingerie brand also welcomed its first plus-size model Ali Tate-Cutler in 2019 ↓

Entering the plus-size clothing market is not only a manifestation of the brand's active social responsibility, but also a good marketing point. At the same time, it can reach a large number of plus-size clothing consumers and expand market share . Moreover, for SHEIN, a fast fashion brand with a mature supply chain system and clothing production line , this is more like a "guaranteed profit" development strategy.

However, as some brands enter the market, others will be “exited”. Although there is market demand for plus-size clothing, it also has some unique development difficulties.

Women's clothing brand Loft just announced this month that it will cut its plus-size products this fall due to "business challenges" and financial difficulties brought about by the epidemic, just three years after it officially entered the plus-size clothing market.

Other brands that have cut their plus-size clothing lines due to financial crises include MM La Fleur and Ryllace. So why is it that whenever a company encounters problems, plus-size products are always the first to be hurt?

According to retailwire.com , this is because large-size clothing uses more fabrics in the production process, which results in higher production costs and may require special manufacturing techniques. Industry insiders say that factories generally lack experience in manufacturing large-size clothing, and the manufacturing machines they are equipped with are not capable of producing large-size clothing.

However, Loft is still considered one of the top retail brands in the United States. If other independent brands can "hold on", why can it only give up "easily"?

Ultimately, Loft has not injected inclusiveness into the core value of the brand. Loft's decision to abandon the plus-size market shows that inclusiveness has never been the core value of the brand. The development of plus-size products is just a performance to please customers and an "extra bonus."

This is undoubtedly an emotional harm to customers who have just adapted to buying the brand's large-size products, and it will not be easy for them to return to the large-size clothing market in the future.

From this we can see that although the plus-size clothing market has great potential, if sellers really want to develop plus-size clothing, the first thing they need to realize is that plus-size people are your customer group first, not a "money-giving machine." You need to start more from their needs and integrate inclusiveness into the core values ​​of the brand. Only then can you truly make good products and build a successful brand.

SHEIN

Plus Size Clothing