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Cynthia McIntosh, MBA writes and I want to Share......
Group: Fashion & Beauty
Subject: New comment (22) on "Plus-Size Revelation: Bigger Women Have Cash, Too"
I have never understood why designers AND retailers leave money on the table when it comes to serving the very underserved full-figured market in the U.S. All trends point to Americans becoming relatively bigger, and have done so for years. However, there has been a lag in response to meeting the need for attractive and varied offerings for this segment.
I am curious as to why the plus-size segment is treated as an afterthought, or worse, completely ignored. And I ask this strictly in the business sense. One would think that more designers and outlets would have gone all-out to compete for this segment's dollars: but they have not. So what's behind that behavior? Is there a stigma associated with producing and selling and promoting plus sizes? Okay, given, some designers just aren't interested ... but there ARE other designers. And most mass-marketed apparel isn't necessarily designer focused anyway, but more trend driven (often inspired by designers). Is it more costly on the manufacturer's side? Hmmm ... I don't really buy that. Seems to me they'd get to volume discounts faster, and assuming they're reaching the right target, they'd earn sufficient return on their investment. Or is it that retailers -- namely those of the brick-and-mortar variety -- have failed to align their demand from suppliers and designers with consumer demand?
I often hear of the impending demise of the department store, yet so many of these stores revel in not meeting the basic needs of the full-figured woman (and man). I can't count the number of times I've unsuccessfully searched for a high quality, stylish wool dress coat in size 18 in a department store, only to be directed to a small section rife with uninspired puffiness posing as outerwear. Meanwhile, the misses coat section takes up half the floor (Macy's do ya hear me?! Seriously, though, Macy's is NOT the worst offender. At least it has a section. LOL.). If department stores alone wish to shore up their businesses for long term growth, they should start by revamping and upgrading their plus size apparel department -- and then promote the heck out of it. The chains that finally get it right are going to make money hand over fist. Then you will see a revolution, because money talks when money walks out the door to your competition.
