plus-size

Marc Jacobs Planning A Plus-Size Line

Filed under: Apparel

Could luxury retailers finally be ready to take full aim at the plus-size fashion market? Just last week we saw Saks Fifth Avenue announce that it would be adding more plus-sized designer options to its New York flagship store. Now it seems that fashion designer Marc Jacobs is ready to create a complete plus-size line for women over size 14. The Guardian reports that Robert Duffy, president of the Marc Jacobs label, posted on Twitter that the company is in the early stages of planning a plus-size range. It will be a year before the line is available. Duffy has been tweeting under @MarcJacobsInt a lot lately offering contests and opining on the fashion industry. Duffy also tweeted about his own issues in finding clothing that fits. Marc Jacobs was larger when he started out in the fashion world although in the past few years he has maintained a very slim and toned physique.

As an NY Times article recently pointed out, it's not easy to make plus-sized clothing because women who are the same size may have very different shapes. There has also been a perception that larger women aren't interested in spending money on designer clothing. But with larger-sized model Crystal Renn serving as a muse for Jean Paul Gaultier and singer and plus-sized designer Beth Ditto sitting front row at a whole host of fashion shows, it seems that the time has never been better for fashionable plus-sized clothing. Also younger plus-sized consumers seem to have more confidence and more interest in trendy, sexy clothing as the popularity of the Torrid stores proves. Instead of being an afterthought it may be in the future that creating fashionable clothing for larger consumers is a way to build a brand.

Tags: marc jacobs, plus-size, plus-size clothing, plus-size fashion, plus-size models

Saks To Sell Designer Plus-Sized Fashion

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

More and more women are looking for designer fashions in larger sizes. Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City is ready to accommodate them. Racked recently reported that the flagship store's high-end third floor will be home to designer plus-sized apparel. The retailer will offer gowns, suits and more in sizes from 14 to 20 by top-of-the-line brands like Armani, Chanel, Donna Karan and Oscar de la Renta. Racked says that the fall and winter plus-sized pieces will be mixed in with existing stock rather than relegated to a separate section. In general most of the designer pieces would only be available in up to a size 10 but with the new initiative most of the pieces will be available up to a size 14 and as high as 20 in some cases depending on what sizes the brand makes. Saks is testing this out so only one of each size will be stocked for most pieces. But if this is successful look for other Saks stores to stock larger sizes in these designer labels.

Will women go for the larger sizes? An article on DNA Info interviewed a couple of Saks shoppers who didn't seem too enthused. Although much of America falls into the size 12 and up category there is an ongoing perception that larger women aren't interested in expensive fashion. But plus-sized fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry and one that so far, has been vastly undeserved by luxury brands.

Tags: plus size, plus-size, saks, Saks Fifth Avenue, womens fashion