Fashion has always been a medium for us to understand and express our own sense of style. While there have always been consumers who exist outside of that ideal, it’s only in the last few years that collective consumer consciousness has begun to demand that brands treat their bodies as they are. There is an increasing need for sizing coverage among fashion brands, primarily women’s fashion brands. Most brands see this largely as a welcome change and are a step in the right direction, but there is a long way to go in reorientation. Make this a full reality.

The principle of size inclusivity hinges on questioning this existing “ideal”. Although it is most common to equate size inclusivity with incorporating plus sizes (18+, i.e., 3XL or larger clothing in the Indian context), this is not the same as the inclusion of small sizes (0 to 4 range, or XS smaller clothes). ), and petite and tall.

Before we understand how brands can move toward size inclusiveness, it is important to understand how this emergence came to be and why it is important to respond to it. Why should you think first? If you have a product that meets your needs, you don’t have to exclude the majority of your consumers. In addition to this, it also makes business sense. A staggering 15% of business in the apparel industry comes from plus sizes! Additionally, social media is increasingly empowering brands to hold brands accountable for decision-making. With nearly every brand having a social media presence, especially since the 2020 pandemic, customers who feel excluded can directly demand and call on the brand to do so. about it. The influencer and creator community also plays a key role in educating and spreading awareness, further reinforcing the collective voice for inclusion from brands. Significant progress has been made through the debate over the practice of charging extra fees for This was brought to the attention of the industry last year by Instagram fashion watchdog Diet Sabya.

In response to this change, several brands have taken steps in the right direction. High fashion runways are beginning to reflect change with designers willing to carry models in different sizes.High fashion designer brands are offering more sizes in stores. This is a notable change from the previous practice of displaying only small sizes on the shelves.

Having a comprehensive size range, from smallest to plus size, is the bare minimum expected from a fashion brand today. Looking specifically at the next layer of luxury and designer brands, the road to inclusivity for large and premium brands has been unprecedented as they operate at relatively high scale and frequent launches. It is important to recognize that it will be different and challenging.

While producing on a large scale (meaning not bespoke like couture), plus sizes themselves can be endless. The grading and measuring rules are not as linear as for the standard 5-6 sizes of XS-XXL that most brands offer. It’s as important as doing anything at all. In addition, Indian body type difference i.e. Indian sizing compared to US and UK sizing, any brand invests significant time and resources in research and technology development to get data for development. means that you should Fits plus size. Additionally, without the right data and accurate sales forecasts, inventory and sales rate planning is more difficult and costly.

Despite all the challenges above, especially as a brand that has reached a certain scale and solved the standard size supply chain, we have to start somewhere and we have to start now! At scale, brands can collect and optimize body measurements from their customers and incorporate simple solutions into their products. Many online brands that don’t have sizes larger than 2XL offer bespoke suggestions as an option.

The role of a brand is not only to produce products in larger sizes. The concept of inclusivity should permeate all aspects of your brand and not be abused as a token gesture for good press. We must remember that we are now serving customers who are confident in their skin. Gone are the days when it was just boring silhouettes in bad style. You even have to think about choosing fabrics and styles for people based on their body type. She can be tall or short. She may have belly fat and want a style that hides it, or she may have belly fat and wear crops with confidence. Up. And as a brand, we should try to be inclusive of all our customers and fit their bodies perfectly.

Creating a great shopping experience is crucial so that customers do not feel excluded at any point in the purchase process. It’s not uncommon for customers to be treated by insensitive salespeople or dismissed as being too big when looking for clothes in a larger size. In this case, awareness raising and training of store staff becomes very important. Some lessons can be learned from Western brands as well. So by segregating clothes based on style and color rather than size, people who buy size 4 and size 20 can shop from the space in the store and not feel restricted. His one rack in the back of the store. Alternatively, he can display mannequins of different sizes in one common space, making it a shopper-welcoming and visually inclusive space.

Due to the restrictive nature of offline shopping, customers often resort to online shopping. You can also take similar steps to make your online shopping experience more pleasant. Building a filter function based on size and fit makes searching easy and efficient. Inclusiveness must also be reflected in your marketing strategy. It’s important to include people of different sizes and shapes in your promotional materials and product pages so that each customer can visualize themselves in that product.Although we also collaborate with influencers and digital his creators, Brands should not be restricted to one size or body type. The more diverse the reach of influencers, the more diverse the customer groups they can aim to reach and engage with.

The size-inclusive principle should also apply to all related and ancillary industries and functions. Mannequins also have to be manufactured in different sizes. Appropriate changes should also be made to the marketplace visual guidelines. From size charts, to product videos, to other forms of visual representation, the default should go beyond small.

An all-encompassing size market presents immense opportunities. By approaching size inclusivity in a holistic way, the brand recognizes that all customers, regardless of size, are interested in quality fashion, and by making it accessible. , can amass a significant number of loyal customers. For any brand, an altruistic reason for inclusivity should be worth it! , should serve as a starting point for brands wishing to remain relevant in the market.

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