Did anyone see the Business Week online article?…
The Skinny on Plus-Size Apparel: Retailers specializing in women’s sizes 14 to 32 are ringing up big sales gains, and their stocks are rising, too
Surprise, surprise, the forgotten masses of women (who are more like normal women than those sticks who walk down the runway and are ruining the self esteem of our young) are finally getting the r-e-s-p-e-c-t they deserve.
Finally, marketers and manufacturers are taking them out of the dreary back-of-the-store position and putting them front and center. A quote from the article says it all: “‘These smart retailers are listening to girls who are saying they don’t want to look like a shower curtain, and are offering up trendy clothes that don’t necessarily come in animal prints,’ says Kat Fay, retail analyst at the Chicago research group Mintel. Fay estimates that the plus-size clothing market hit $32 billion last year, up a total of 50% in the past five years.”
At last, I say! This is a perfect case of retailers finally coming to their senses and looking around at who their customer is and delivering for them.
Bravo!
What did one obese sheep say to the other? “Ewe’s not fat. Ewe’s fluffy.”
As a fluffy marketeer myself (and recovering entrepreneur), I agree that retailers and fashion folks have taken way too long to figure out how lucrative this market can be. Hallelujah that even my local Steinmart just quadrupled the floor space granted to its Fluffy-Sized department.
Still, every time I try to shop for a wristwatch, I ponder… why doesn’t anyone design and sell *jewelry* that fits millions of women like me? Maybe I need to launch THAT company. Call it BigBling. ;]
It’s still nearly impossible to find plus sizes for the peite. Why do marketers think petite means miniature? In clothing, it means less than 5′4″. Let’s see more clothes for the vertically challenged.
We don’t want to look like children. Ruffles and lace are out!
Take solice in the fact that the “voice” of this shopper is finally being heard beyond anecdotal data. There are now strong numerical/sales numbers which are impossible to ignore. Along with that is the money to back the investment in styling and understanding the needs of this important segment of consumers. Styles are already improving…and they will continue. My personal experience in this topic is in having watched the journey and corresponding level of disappointment in my mom’s face in the many shopping adventures I had with her when we were ‘ushered’ to the back of the store to look at the meager and yes, under-fashioned options presented to her. That’s why the RESPECT portion of this is so poignant to me. Marketers/merchandisers have made this decision about numbers and sales…but to those doing the shopping it felt like yet one more snub dealt their way because of their size. Thankfully…this is changing!
For anyone trying to reach plus size apparel buyers, there are a lot of great mailing lists available. We have this free online directory of mailing lists on our website:
http://lists.nextmark.com/market
I just ran a search for “plus size” and found 161 relevant postal lists from a variety of sources including these:
LANE BRYANT CATALOG BUYERS LIFEPHASES
Quality Fashions and Value for Sizes 12W-44W (Petite and Tall available)
Universe: 2,504,583 24 MONTH BUYERS
Rate: $100.00/M
Jessica London Lifestyles
The Jessica London list has become even more selectable by offering lifestyle selects through Acxiom. The Jessica London catalog features stylish brand name fashions for plus size women. The catalog offers an extensive selection of sizes ranging from 14W to 34W. Buyers are interested in selecting merchandise for business, casual, or special occasions. The buyers purchase high-quality classics which include dresses, two-piece sets, special occasion, blazers and coats, shirts and sweaters, pants, shoes, accessories, swimwear, and intimate apparel.
539,780 TOTAL UNIVERSE / BASE RATE $105.00/M
Hope that helps!
I would total disagree. The small petite women can’t find any thing to wear. Just try to find a size 0 petite business suit that can be worn in the board room and suitable for a 40ish women that likes style. Even small is not even small anymore. Sure I can wear a Banana Republic suit but I am not 20ish and have alreay climbed the ladder. Mary 4 ft 11 inch 86 pound and 3 C-Sections.
Unfortunately, here in Southern California, a lot of the stores have discontinued their plus-size departments. Also, most of the specialty stores carry cheap, poorly-made clothing. So, my daughter and I are trying to fill the gap. We’ve started our own company, Jahqoi, specializing in plus-size clothing. We sell online and in a couple of stores. As our financial situation improves, we plan to create styles geared for petite and tall women and to include larger-size accessories. I hope the newer styles that are being created by companies like Kiyonna will help revive interest in plus-size clothing in department stores. I also hope women will support these new designers so that they can stay in business. I realize it’s sometimes difficult for women to pay ‘designer’ prices for their clothing, when they haven’t had that option before.
Thank you for an informative and easy to read relevant consumer blog. You really can make a difference by stepping up to the plate. Keeping swinging!
I am size 14 (and, BTW, never considered myself overweight – I am tall and athletic and have all necessary feminine curves
), and when I lived in the Philippines and tried to shop for some clothes there – it was a true nightmare for self-esteem! You cannot imagine their sizes!!!! I felt like a super-size cow! 
Good offer!! I also find many coupons, coupon codes and great deals at CouponAlbum site on Plus size clothings….
I like your post…
I wouldn’t say that what they offer is good looking or trendy. For instance, a lot of fat clothing has horizontial stripes – something even normal sized women shouldn’t wear. This, along with those huge patterns, only look good one women as skinny as Jack Skeleton. Then there’s the spaggetti straps, sleeveless, capped sleeves, and tanks. No one wants to see arm flab flapping in the wind. We need sleeves. (And again, even skinny girls look bad in these. Only WWE Divas can pull off this look.) Finally there’s the tops that are cut to expose the gut roll. GROSS! My gut needs to be hidden. All they’re doing is making the skinny girls’ clothes a little bit bigger. They’re not taking time out to consider our own special needs. Online stores don’t help. Apparently for some of them their idea of “petite” is a woman who’s 5′ 6″ and taller. I’m only 5′ 3″. Get a “petite” and I end up with pants where the waist is directly under my breasts and the crotch is at my knees. So no, they’re NOT coming up with better clothes for us. In fact, the clothes they make make us look like laughing stocks.
In the philippines plus size stores are only few… In our store we have plus sizes in a reasonable prices… and to fashionable for curvy women… please visit our website at retailplussize.com….. will provide you the high quality and trendy wear in plus size… thanx