Plus Size Clothing-Discovering Plus

11 March 2023, Mumbai 

As the demand for visually appealing and sassy, Classic & Trendy plus-size clothing rises, brands are curating & expanding their value offerings to tap into this emerging/growing market segment.

The article here articulates discovering more about the plus-size clothing industry, trends, market size, trade dynamics, and competitive trade landscape here.

Celebrating Curves: The Evolution of Plus Size Fashion

Indian market scenario; Amazon India has recently launched its plus-size store, offering over 6,00,000 products from leading Indian fashion brands riding on the back of Plus size clothing gaining currency in India, such as Biba, Bigbanana, Pluss, Allen Solly, NYKD, U.S. Polo Association, with brands like aLL, H&M, AND, FabAlley, Zivame, and Shein offering inclusive sizes and styles for all body types adding width and depth to the existing product line/portfolio among many others.

More & more stores have started to provide a vast collection of plus-size clothing, ranging from 2XL to 8XL, catering to the needs of Indian consumers. As per market estimates," The Indian plus-size apparel/clothing market is projected to be worth in excess of $2 billion, with a prospective optimism for bullish growth traction in the years ahead".

e-commerce pure play; According to the head of Amazon Fashion India, Saurabh Srivastava, India is a rapidly growing plus-size market, and Amazon aims to be inclusive and diverse, catering to the needs of all customers expanding their inventory and preparing for the rise of plus size clothing.

The case in point is increasingly Indian e-commerce players like Amazons of the world are tapping into the fast-growing plus-size clothing market by offering a curated collection, attractive offerings drawn out of an array of products from prominent fashion brands to cater to the diverse needs and tastes, choices and, preferences of customers.

Data can be noisy

The demand for plus-size clothing has been rising globally, with a predicted market value of $288 billion in 2023. Plus-size customers seek Classic & Trendy and attractive clothing readily available in larger sizes, and the market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% until 2032. The US is the largest plus-size clothing market globally, with the most extensive population of plus-size consumers.

Plus-size clothing has been gaining popularity worldwide, considering that more brands are throwing hats in the ring season in season out catering to this market, the demand for attractive and exclusively trendy garments in larger sizes is only on the rise.

Global case studies

From global fashion labels like Zara and Michael Kors to sportswear brands such as Nike and Under Armour, a wide range of plus-size clothing options is now available. Besides, retail biggies like Walmart and Amazons are also seizing the opportunities to tap into this rapidly-growing plus-size market to serve the diverse needs of discernible customers with greater variety, specificities, and vibrant colors considering consumers' wider audiences entailing race and ethnicity.

Mainstreaming plus-size clothing has been a topic of debate; however, many brands have jumped in to cater to the growing global market. High streets plus-size apparel retailers, such as River Island, Marks & Spencer, and New Look, offer a wide range of plus-size items to cater to the demand. Global fashion labels, such as Good American, have launched their first size-inclusive collection of types of denim, creating a path for other popular brands to follow.

The plus-size market trends reveal that casual wear leads growth, followed by formal wear, with plus-size sportswear fast catching up.

Men's plus-size clothing is selling more than women's, and the age group with the highest purchase of plus-size clothing in the Western world is 60 years and above. During the forecast period, the mid-priced clothing segment is expected to dominate the plus-size clothing market.

Luxury fashion brands are cautious about the category, given the dominance of the mid-priced segment. The Middle East and Asia are expected to become sizable markets as their population registers a sharp rise in obesity, following the US as the market leader.

Size Story

The plus-size clothing market is witnessing a spurt in demand tailwind and growth, with a diverse range of brands catering to this evolving market globally. As the trend toward inclusivity and body positivity continues, the market is projected to show grow trajectory as we move ahead.

Given the underlying trends, the market size will only continue to consolidate bringing incrementally more & more players to tap into this segment of customers. The plus size apparel/clothing industry is now emerging more as a mainstream discipline and becoming inclusive, given the increasing customer appetite/demand for classy/trendy and visually attractive apparel/garments of plus sizes.

In conclusion, the plus-size clothing market is growing rapidly, with diverse and inclusive approaches by brands such as Amazon, catering to the needs of plus-size customers. The market trends reveal a shift towards casual wear, with men's clothing leading growth, while the mid-priced clothing segment is expected to dominate the market.

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