Selfridges Drops Plus-Size Clothing
Selfridges department store in abandoning plus-size offerings. London ditched , England. Photo: Getty Images
There's a big brouhaha brewing over Selfridges' latest move.
The British department store has subtracted plus-sizes from its inventory by dropping the Marina Rinaldi line, which catered to sizes 14 to 26, the Daily Mail reports.
Now, the store's highest size available is reportedly a size 18, sparking the ire of curvy customers.
"Half the country need size 16 or bigger," Cheryl Hughes, who runs a plus-size modeling agency, told the paper. "It's disgusting that Selfridges won't sell them."
"I was told they wanted to change their image," size-22 shopper Karen Segal told the source.
"They are saying plus-size clothing doesn't fit their image -- and therefore neither do I."
So, what does the narrow (literally) minded store have to say for itself?
"It's true we no longer stock Marina Rinaldi, however Selfridges is constantly updating its brand mix," Anita Barr, the store's Director of Womenswear and Childrenswear, tells the Daily Mail.
"This is also reflected in the sizing we offer. At present customers can find sizes up to a UK 18 in store."
Try telling that to a Size 20. And to add insult to injury, let's not forget that this is the same store that found room on its shelves for "mantihose."
Is Selfridges being insensitive and unrealistic by ditching plus-size clothes, or should larger shoppers stick to specialty shops? Leave a comment!
Meanwhile, read about Lara Stone's weight struggle in the modeling industry.
Tags: Department Stores, marina rinaldi, Plus-Size, Plus-Size Clothing, selfdriges
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Karen W., 12-22-2009, 8:22PM
I honestly don't know what to believe anymore in regards to retailers and their TRUE motivations. Is it really image or is it sell-through? Although I guess it doesn't matter which because neither reason is acceptable . . .
Obviously "image" is just flat out ludicrous - I've never once met a woman (I've never met Anna Wintour) who wouldn't buy a certain line because they also did plus sizes and I've never met a woman who wouldn't shop in a store because they carried plus sizes - that is just ridiculous especially given the recent success of Anna Scholz who while German is based in the UK!
If it's sell-through rate than that can also be blamed on the retailer: for so long they offered the plus size woman so few fashionable options many stopped going to brick and mortar shops and turned to online shopping . . .
I'm not overly familiar with online shopping for plus sizes in the UK but as far as the US - Online shopping can be great in that it allows the retailer to expand it's offering of plus sizes (as is the case with Nordstrom) but at the same time nothing beats being able to pop into a local shop to try some things on and choose what it best for you as opposed to having to go through the time and hassle of waiting for shipments, having to do returns, etc.
Overall, this is just so disheartening - I wish for one year every retailer buyer and dept. store manager was limited to only buying brands that manufacture plus sizes and only shopping in stores that carry plus size and see what their tune was then.
http://www.affinityfashion.com
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