Well this feels like a step backward: H&M is no longer carrying plus-sized clothing in some store locations. Revelist reports that after extensive searching, it found that none of H&M’s New York City locations have plus sizes in stock.
The reason for the plus size’s disappearance? According to an H&M rep who provided a statement to Revelist, the brand has expanded into other new products, like beauty, athletic wear, and home goods. As such, “this means not all stores have room for all our fashion concepts. The assortment in the stores is evolving as we continuously assess the product mix, which is decided by each store’s specific pre-requisites when it comes to e.g. its size and the customers’ requests. We refer customers to our online store hm.com, which includes all our fashion concepts, and a broader assortment.”
Using H&M’s store locator tool, Revelist determined how many stores in certain states carry plus sizes; 17 out of 75 stores in California, for example, carry plus sizes. And just seven out of 35 stores in New York carry those sizes.
As much as this is totally leaving out a huge segment of the population who shops for its clothes, H&M could also be losing out with this move. The average American woman is a size 14, and sizes 14 through 34 are typically considered to be plus size. IBIS World reports that the plus-size clothing industry is a $10 billion one, and according to Business Insider, 81% of women said that they would buy more clothes if there were more options in their size.
This is a curious move, considering that earlier this month, the brand even came out with an ad featuring models of all shapes and sizes. And it wasn’t too long ago that H&M chose “plus”-size model Ashley Graham to star in its non-plus campaign. Racked notes that in a press release for the campaign, H&M says, “plus size will be sold exclusively on hm.com.”
Source : teenvogue
