…Gabrielle Union [clothing line].”
If you’re wondering, this is a good business move for Union, because plus-size women’s clothing is a very profitable business.
According to Plunkett Research, they estimate that 68 percent of American women wear a size 14 or above, up slightly from the frequently cited 67 percent figure it found in 2012.
How much is this average American woman spending on her wardrobe? According to the most recent figures available from market research firm NPD, US sales of women’s plus-size apparel reached $21.4 billion in 2016. The category is also growing substantially faster than the overall US apparel market, at a rate of 6 percent versus 3 percent year over year.
There are some plans to improve: Target is expanding its plus-size options in around 300 stores this year, up from 150. Nordstrom also recently announced that it is extending its size offerings for 100 brands across 30 stores in 2018, and will stock the new sizes (ranging from 00 to 18) alongside core merchandise in stores, rather than putting sizes above a 14 in its traditional designated Encore department. Overall, however, the retailer stocks up to a size 28, and the smallest selection remains that of sizes 20-plus.