It’s no secret that the average American woman is a size 14. And it seems that American fashion is beginning to take note.
Several things have happened recently to amp up the plus size movement. Project Runway celebrated its first plus size fashion designer win last week. Ashley Tipton is only the second designer on the show who has specialized in plus sizes. Her unique collection celebrated her Mexican heritage, a nod to Frida Kahlo and a fashion forward plus look. Recently Melissa McCarthy launched her own clothing line which is carried at retailers like Nordstrom’s and shopping network HSN.
According to market research firm NPD group, sales of plus-size clothes grew five percent in 2014, making it a $17.5 billion industry. What’s more the study defined ‘plus-size’ as U.S. size 18 and up, whereas in the fashion industry it starts at size 14, meaning the growth may well have been significantly larger.
Over the past two years, plus-size sales within the e-commerce category have grown 31%. Online shopping seems to take a larger share of plus size shopping. Even traditional retailers have more plus size options online.
The Opportunity
Most plus-size women feel that their body size is not sufficiently represented in fashion and retail. A recent study from ModCloth found that 46% of plus-size women ‘never or rarely’ find clothing that flatters their body.
The online retailer surveyed more than 1,500 women to determine how they feel about the current state of the plus-size market. They found that most women are dissatisfied. Some 81% said they would spend more on clothing if there were more options available in their size.
