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Retailers see minuses in plus-size sections

Written by RetailWire Staff

ModCloth, an up-and-coming e-tailer that caters to a younger, female audience, has folded its plus-size assortment into the rest of its apparel offerings. According to MarketWatch, the company, with clothing it defines as vintage, retro-inspired and indie," conducted a survey in which it found that nearly 65 percent of its shoppers want to see plus sizes included in the same section as other sizes.

"Women prefer to shop by types of clothing, not types of bodies," ModCloth co-founder Susan Koger told MarketWatch.

For women seeking sizes larger than XL on ModCloth.com, clothing is categorized under the term "extended sizes" within each main clothing category.

Ms. Koger indicated in the MarketWatch article that plus-size clothing for women has been the e-tailer's fastest growing segment in terms of popularity since its introduction in 2013.

ModCloth is thus far an online-only retailer, but the mindset inherent in the change may have implications for apparel retailers with brick-and-mortar presences, influencing in-store clothing placement and store layout.

ModCloth
Source: ModCloth.com

Other apparel retailers are working diligently to cater to the plus-size audience and work towards greater inclusivity in their offerings and messaging when it comes to body types, though some are taking a slightly different tack from ModCloth's approach. Lane Bryant's recent #PlusIsEqual campaign, like their #ImNoAngel campaign from last year, made use of plus-size models in lingerie to promote their clothing. The initial #ImNoAngel campaign was in part a critical sendup of the "Perfect Body" campaign launched in 2014 by Victoria's Secret.

Retailers are also making changes in the way they promote the men's clothing segment generally known as "Big and Tall." According to an article on the People website, Target recently brought in Zach Miko, the company's first plus-size male model, to model clothing for the Big and Tall section of the company's website.

J.C. Penney has likewise made changes to how it treats Big and Tall apparel. In January, the retailer closed its standalone Foundry Big & Tall outlets and is integrating the Foundry brand into J.C. Penney stores.

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