BY: ZSHEKINAH COLLIER
Nordstrom has finally decided to cater to curvy and plus-sized women. Last week the upscale department store ordered clothing ranging from size 14 to 18 from popular brands such as Topshop, Rag and Bone and J Crew Madewell. The company plans to add their own brands, Caslon and Halogen, to the list.
"In our opinion, petite and plus sizes shouldn't be considered special categories. They're just sizes," said Nordstrom Executive Vice President Tricia Smith in a statement. The store plans to offer 40 different brands with plus-sized clothing by the holiday season and 60 by 2018.
By expanding their selection, Nordstrom's sales will more than likely go up. But they will also experience competition from retail stores that already specialize in plus-sized clothing, like Ashley Stewart, Lane Bryant and Dia&Co.
Women that wear sizes 14 and up are usually overlooked. This is odd because the average American woman is between the size 16 and 18, according to a 2016 study published in International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education. The study's authors, Susan Dunn and Deborah Christel, told Revelist they hope their research "will help nudge the fashion industry to seriously consider expanding their sizes."
Trendy and upscale retail stores have excluded women over a size 12 for a long time, and many are just now realizing the potential of the curvy and plus-sized apparel market. It's great to see fashion transforming into a inclusive and empowering industry because curvy and plus-sized women love fashion too.
