Plus Size news and archive

TMU Scholars Publish first textbook dedicated to plus-size patternmaking

Plus-Size Patternmaking for Womenswear, co-authored by Leila Kelleher, a fashion scholar at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), and technical designer Gabby Brown, has been published, marking what is described as the first textbook dedicated exclusively to plus-size patternmaking. The book addresses a longstanding gap in fashion education and...

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Business

How the FullBeauty and DXL merger reshapes the Big & Tall market

Last week, two major players in the US’ size-inclusive apparel category joined hands. FBB Holdings I, Inc. (FullBeauty) and Destination XL (DXL) announced a major merger in a move that intends to accelerate respective growth plans and scale the presence of a “category-defining retailer for inclusive apparel”. Framed as a “merger of equals”, the...

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Business

Torrid Q3 results miss expectations amid 'execution missteps'

Torrid Holdings Inc., the direct-to-consumer apparel brand for plus-size women, announced third-quarter fiscal 2025 results that fell short of expectations, attributing the performance to internal execution missteps and assortment imbalances. Net sales for the quarter decreased by 10.8 percent year-over-year to 235.2 million dollars, accompanied...

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Business

Plus-size revolution: When fashion adapts to body diversity

The global plus-size clothing market is crossing a new threshold of global consolidation. Valued at 314.5 billion dollars in 2024, it could reach 375.7 billion dollars by 2030, according to the latest forecasts from Research and Markets. This growth, estimated at 3 percent per year, reflects a profound shift in societal expectations, business...

Fashion

Kenya's plus-size fashion show says 'big is beautiful'

In African wax print dresses and tight-fitting evening wear, the "plus-size" models strutted up the runway in Kisumu, western Kenya, in a special event designed to celebrate the beauty of larger women. Started nine years ago, the East Africa Plus Size Fashion Affair is, according to founder Winnie Wenga Walcott, the only event of its kind in...

Fashion

Anthropologie launches plus-size fashion collaboration with Universal Standard

Fashion and lifestyle retailer Anthropologie is launching an exclusive spring collaboration with size-inclusive brand Universal Standard. The collaboration blends Anthropologie’s vibrant aesthetic with Universal Standard’s renowned tailoring, fabrication, and exceptional fit for all sizes to offer the retailer’s customer a collection that...

Fashion

Chinese plus-size influencer spreads body positivity through fashion

Surrounded by racks of colourful dresses and blazers in China's manufacturing hub of Guangzhou, plus-size clothing brand owner and influencer Amanda Yao is on a mission to promote body positivity. She is part of a small but growing number of women in China challenging restrictive beauty standards, including thinness, pale skin and childlike...

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Fashion

The sizeable gap in men's fashion week diversity

As the men's fashion weeks in Florence, Milan, and Paris conclude, a glaring absence on the catwalks has become apparent: the near-total absence of mid-size and XL male models. This oversight not only calls into question the industry's commitment to diversity but also underscores a significant disconnect between fashion's aspirational imagery...

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Fashion

What's happening with the plus size men's fashion market?

The plus size fashion market is experiencing notable growth, which is reflected in a greater presence of plus size models in the campaigns and catwalks of many brands. However, a clear tendency prevails to exclusively represent plus-size women. This disparity begs the question: where are the plus-size men in today's men's fashion world?...

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Report

Torrid Q2 sales fall 18 percent, lowers FY outlook

Plus-size womenswear brand Torrid has reported a 18.2 percent drop in net sales in the second quarter as the company navigates a “rebuild year” in a “challenging market”. The US brand, which specialises in fashion for sizes 10 to 30, generated sales of 289.1 million dollars in the three months to July 29, compared to 353.5 million dollars in the...

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Fashion |Interview

Will this New York Fashion Week signal the end of the body positivity movement?

On the morning of my scheduled Zoom conversation with Lauren Downing Peters whose book Fashion Before Plus-Size; Bodies, Bias and the Birth of an Industry, has just been released, an email arrives in my inbox on how internet searches for Margot Robbie's diet exploded following the debut of Barbie. It seems appropriate as the topic of women’s...

Fashion |In Pictures

Live Unlimited London unveils first-ever petite collection

Plus-size fashion brand Live Unlimited London is launching its first-ever petite collection next month to offer “fabulous fit” fashion for customers up to 5 foot 3 inches in height in UK sizes 12-28. The 13-piece petite collection for autumn/winter 2023 drops online on September 7 and will offer an array of classic pieces and key silhouettes...