Plus Size Clothing- The Fastest Growing Segment In The Fashion Business
- By:Eric Menzies Menzies
Most models and fashion designers are not people who are touched by obesity. There are many people in the general population that struggle with their weight and need to purchase clothing in larger and larger sizes. It is time for the fashion designer and the industry as a whole to look into this growing need.
There is a growing problem and it is obesity. Estimates show that about half of all women are overweight or obese. This percent is even larger for women who are middle aged, where almost two thirds of them are overweight. The number of teens who are overweight is also increasing. The results of the increasing number of people who are overweight is a growing market for clothing plus size and bigger.
Indeed, the fastest growing market segment in the business is for plus size clothing . However, the fashion industry has yet to fully meet this demand. There is consistently a lag in fashion trends before they reach the plus size market, and even when they do they are merely sized up or scaled versions of clothes designed for skinny bodies.
The main response seems to be what industry observers have termed size inflation. That is, what used to be called a size 14 may now be labeled as a 10, giving the consumer the illusion of having a smaller size without addressing their real concerns. The result is dissatisfied consumers of plus size fashion clothing.
There have been some changes that are encouraging in the plus size market. Recently a group of plus size clothing manufacturers has completed an exhaustive sizing study, more extensive than any since World War II, making newer designs a better fit for today's woman. In fact, there are even some models and fashion shows that are now exclusive to plus sizes, though they are still in the minority in the industry.
For the foreseeable future, the number of people classified as overweight will continue to increase. Clothes makers are aware of this trend, but so far have been fairly slow to adapt their lines of clothing. Plus size clothing is becoming the standard size sold to most customers, instead of the niche market that it has been. Fashion houses need to recognize this and start designing their mainstream clothes lines specifically for this growing class of customers.About the author:
Andrea writes about Plus Size Clothing. Check out our plus size deals including Plus Size Lingerie.