Let’s talk about something that has been bothering me: Why do we keep asking for more options when we’re not doing enough to support plus size fashion brands already here?
Every few months, it seems we’re hearing about another plus size clothing store closing, another brand discontinuing its extended sizes, or another designer deciding that the plus size market simply isn’t worth the investment.
And understandably, the reaction from the plus size community is disappointment, frustration and sometimes outright anger.
Why can’t we have nice things? Why does the fashion industry continue to ignore us? Why can’t we have the same choices as straight size women?
These are legitimate questions. I’ve asked them myself.
But there’s another question I think we need to start asking:
Are we supporting the plus size businesses that are already here?
Because here’s the thing. Despite the closures, despite the disappointments, despite the very real shortcomings of the fashion industry, there are still a considerable number of brands making clothes for plus size women.
Some are established companies. Others are small, independent designers working out of studios, spare bedrooms and tiny manufacturing facilities. Some offer affordable everyday clothing. Others are trying to bring luxury fabrics, interesting silhouettes and designer-level fashion to a customer who has been overlooked for decades.
They’re out there.
And frankly, I don’t think enough of us are patronizing them.
We Have More Choices Than We Sometimes Acknowledge
Does the plus size fashion market have shortcomings? Absolutely.
Do we need more variety? Yes.
Better fabrics? Definitely.
More thoughtful sizing, better construction, more interesting designs and clothes that don’t assume every plus size woman wants to dress exactly alike? Without question.
But I also think we need to acknowledge the progress that’s been made.
There was a time when plus size shopping meant choosing between a handful of department store racks and specialty stores offering essentially the same clothes in different colors.
Today, we have independent designers creating beautiful eveningwear, contemporary sportswear, leather jackets, tailored suits, swimwear, resort clothing and everything in between.
We have brands serving women who want minimalist wardrobes, women who love vintage-inspired fashion, women who dress conservatively and women who want to walk into a room looking like they just stepped off a Paris runway.
No, every brand doesn’t carry every size. No, every collection isn’t going to appeal to every woman. And yes, there are still enormous gaps in the market.
But imperfect choices are not the same as having no choices.
And I worry that sometimes, in our very understandable frustration over what isn’t available, we’re overlooking what is.
Small Businesses Cannot Survive on Applause
Here’s something I know firsthand as the founder of Santé Grace.
Creating a clothing line is expensive.
Creating a plus size clothing line can be especially expensive.
Developing patterns, grading sizes, sourcing fabrics, producing samples, testing fit, paying manufacturers, photographing collections, maintaining a website, advertising, shipping orders and managing inventory all require money.
And unlike a large corporation, a small independent designer doesn’t have millions of dollars to absorb mistakes.
When we make something that doesn’t sell, we feel it.
When we invest in a new size and only a handful of customers purchase it, we feel it.
When we develop a beautiful garment that receives hundreds of compliments online but very few actual orders, we feel that too.
I can’t tell you how often I see people enthusiastically celebrating the announcement of a new plus size brand.
The comments are wonderful.
Finally! Someone making clothes for us!
We need more designers like this!
I love everything!
But enthusiasm doesn’t pay the manufacturer.
Likes don’t pay the patternmaker.
And compliments don’t keep the lights on.
At some point, support has to translate into sales.
That doesn’t mean buying things you don’t need or spending money you don’t have. It means that when you are ready to shop, consider giving your business to the brands that are actually investing in you.
If You Like a Brand but Something Isn’t Right, Tell Them
This is perhaps the most important point I want to make.
Let’s say you discover a new plus size designer.
You love the aesthetic. You appreciate the fabrics. You like the direction of the collection.
But the sleeves are too short.
Or the dresses aren’t long enough.
Or the sizing stops one size below yours.
Or you wish the designer offered more trousers and fewer dresses.
What do you do?
Too often, we simply move on.
Or worse, we take to social media to announce everything that’s wrong with the brand.
Here’s an alternative.
Contact the owner.
Send an email. Leave a thoughtful comment. Ask whether they’re considering extending their size range. Explain what you love about the collection and what would make it work better for you.
You might be surprised by how receptive independent designers can be.
Many of us started our businesses precisely because we were dissatisfied with the clothing available to us. We understand the frustration. We lived it.
And unlike a giant corporation, where customer feedback may disappear into a research department, when you contact a small business, there’s a good chance you’re communicating directly with the person making the decisions.
Now, that doesn’t mean every suggestion can be implemented immediately.
Adding another size isn’t simply a matter of making an existing pattern bigger. It can require new pattern development, additional fittings, new inventory and a substantial financial commitment.
Changing fabrics or manufacturing methods can affect pricing.
But constructive feedback gives a business something valuable: information.
If enough customers tell a designer they want a particular style, length, fabric or size, that information can help shape the next collection.
And that is infinitely more productive than silently walking away.
Not Every Brand Has to Be Everything to Everybody
I also think we need to release ourselves from the expectation that every plus size brand must serve every plus size woman.
We don’t expect that from straight size fashion.
Nobody walks into Saint Laurent expecting the same merchandise, prices or design philosophy they’ll find at Old Navy.
Different brands serve different customers.
The plus size market deserves that same diversity.
Some women want inexpensive basics. Others are willing to invest in beautifully constructed garments they’ll wear for years.
Some want bright colors and dramatic prints. Others want black, white, camel and beautifully tailored separates.
Some want clothing that follows trends. Others want clothing that ignores them entirely.
All of those customers deserve choices.
And all of those businesses deserve an opportunity to find their audience.
A brand isn’t necessarily failing the community because its particular aesthetic, price point or fit doesn’t work for you.
Sometimes, you’re simply not its customer.
And that’s OK.
We Also Have to Be Realistic About Price
One of the most difficult conversations in fashion concerns price.
We say we want better fabrics, ethical manufacturing, thoughtful design, excellent fit and clothing that lasts.
I want those things too.
But they cost money.
A small designer producing 50 garments cannot manufacture at the same cost as a multinational company producing 50,000.
That doesn’t mean every expensive garment is worth its price. It certainly doesn’t mean customers shouldn’t demand quality.
It means we should understand the economics behind what we’re asking for.
If we want independent designers to produce clothing in smaller quantities, use better materials, pay skilled workers and develop extended sizing, those decisions have financial consequences.
And when a business can’t sell enough merchandise to cover those costs, eventually it disappears.
Then we’re right back where we started, asking why nobody makes beautiful clothes in our sizes.
We Have More Power Than We Think
The plus size community has spent decades demanding visibility, representation and better fashion.
And those demands have helped change the industry.
But consumer power isn’t limited to demanding that brands enter the market. It also includes helping good businesses remain in the market.
You don’t have to purchase something every week to make a difference.
You can recommend a designer to a friend. Share a brand whose work you genuinely admire. Write a thoughtful review. Introduce someone to a boutique they’ve never heard of.
And when you have a clothing budget, think about where you want those dollars to go.
Do you want more independent designers creating plus size collections?
Do you want more companies willing to invest in sizes 3X, 4X and 5X?
Do you want better fabrics, more sophisticated designs and greater variety?
Then we have to help demonstrate that a sustainable market exists for those things. Not just through comments and conversations, but through actual purchasing decisions.
Because businesses don’t survive on what customers say they want.
They survive on what customers buy.
A Little More Conversation. A Little Less Cancellation.
I’m not suggesting that we lower our standards.
Quite the opposite.
I believe plus size women should demand exceptional fashion. We should expect beautiful design, accurate sizing, good customer service and clothing worthy of our money.
But I also believe there’s room for a little more conversation and a little less condemnation.
If a designer gets something wrong, give them an opportunity to make it right.
If you love a brand but wish it offered something different, say so.
If a company is genuinely trying to serve our community, recognize that effort while still holding it accountable.
And if you discover a small business making something wonderful, tell somebody.
We cannot expect every new designer to emerge fully formed, with accurate sizing, unlimited inventory, every conceivable style and prices that satisfy everyone.
Businesses grow. Collections evolve. Designers learn.
But they need customers to stay in business long enough to do those things.
The Future of Plus Size Fashion Is Also in Our Hands
I started Santé Grace because I wanted clothes that reflected my taste, my lifestyle and the woman I had become.
I didn’t want to compromise on style simply because of my size.
And I know I’m not alone.
There are designers all over the world who have started businesses for similar reasons. They’ve invested their savings, their time, their creativity and often their entire professional lives into making clothes for women who deserve better choices.
Some will succeed. Some won’t.
That’s the reality of business.
But I would hate to see talented designers disappear simply because the customers who wanted them never discovered them, never communicated with them or never gave them a chance.
So here’s my request.
The next time you’re looking for something to wear, spend a little time exploring the plus size businesses that already exist.
Find the designers whose work speaks to you.
Ask questions. Offer feedback. Tell them what you’d love to see next.
And when you find something you love and can afford, buy it.
We should absolutely keep demanding more from the fashion industry. But let’s also support the people who are already trying to give us more.
Because if we want a future filled with beautiful, interesting, diverse plus size fashion, we have to help build a market that can sustain it.
And that starts with us.
Tracy Christian is the founder and designer of Santé Grace, a Los Angeles-based fashion label creating sophisticated clothing and accessories for women in sizes 1X-5X.
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