Plus Size Clothing: The Obesity Epidemic Shows No Signs Of Abating
A little discussed subject within the fashion designer world is obesity. Models who strut on the catwalks are notoriously skinny. They look like a good hearty meal would benefit them. When the truth is known, woman who are actually buying those clothes are not the super skinny models but a group of woman who need larger sizes. The fashion industry must wake up and take notice of this.
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.
The demand for plus size clothing is increasing tremendously but the supply is insufficient. So there is a lot of opportunity in the business of plus size clothing. Obese people don’t find their size in the latest fashion clothes. They are not able to follow the latest trends of the fashion industry due to this unavailability.
The fashion industry has adjusted to the growing size of the population by inflating the size of items. What used to be a size 14 may today be a size 14. This gives the customer the idea that they are wearing a small size, without them having to face their larger figure. The result of this change is unhappy customers shopping for 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.
The obesity epidemic does not seem to be retreating. In fact, it is forecast that in the future there will be even more overweight people. The fashion industry is aware of this trend in sizing but is not reacting by targeting this segment. Instead of plus size clothing being a specialty market, it instead is becoming the standard to which consumers turn. With such a large customer base, fashion designers should zero in on the special needs and wants of overweight customers.
Andrea writes about Plus Size Clothing. Find plus size deals at Woman’s Plus Size Clothing Discounts
- Andrea Dilea