Revolve, the “official site of the Hottest Luxury Fashion,” is finally expanding its offerings from Selkie, a brand that caters to a size range beyond a 14. Next to sustainability, size inclusivity is one of the biggest conversations in the fashion industry right now. With the average woman in the U.S. wearing a size 16, retailers are being encouraged by customers to expand their offerings past the usual size 12. And, being inclusive is profitable. According to a report published by Allied Market Research, the plus-size clothing market garnered $481 billion in 2019 and is anticipated to reach $697 billion by 2027.
As Glossy first reported, for Selkie, the key to connecting with plus-size consumers was offering its whimsical clothing in sizes XXS-5X almost from the start. Three years after leaving her first fashion label Wildfox, founder Kimberley Gordon launched Selkie, making sure not to shy away from embracing a body-positive, feminist message. Selkie’s figure-flattering Puff Dress quickly became a staple on influencers of different body types. But when Revolve started stocking Selkie in 2018, the retailer only sold its styles through a size large. “At the time, they weren’t buying extra-large, and I asked them to try it,” Gordon said. She admitted that Revolve “took a chance” on her in the brand’s first season and that it took a while for it to start selling.
“If you want to get them to do something, like add plus sizing, you have to prove your brand,” she said. “And I knew that would mean that the brand would have to get really trendy, because that’s kind of their business model.” It took a head-scratching four years, but now Selkie has become the first brand to stock up to 2X (approximately a size 16) on Revolve, with plans to expand to 5X on select styles. This “upper sizing” has only been on Revolve for a few weeks, but Gordon promises a lot more items to come. For that, she credits her customers — especially those in a Facebook group called Selkie Obsessed, which currently has more than 1,000 members. It was started by 26-year-old Olivia Hobbs, who had concerns about buying a $200 dress online and wanted to connect with other fans to share photos and sizing tips before making the purchase.
In addition to sharing fit advice, the group posts about retailers carrying Selkie dresses, especially exclusive items. Hobbs, who wears a size 2X, noted the group’s frustration with Revolve’s smaller size range. Influencers have recently taken to TikTok to share similar complaints. “I went to Revolve’s website and found a page where you can send them feedback,” Hobbs said. And she shared the page’s link with the group, encouraging them to send feedback, as well.
Revolve did not confirm whether these requests were the reason it introduced the extended sizes. “When we see opportunities with great business partners, we always try to find ways to work together. So we’re thrilled to be working with Selkie on this and will continue to support where we can,” said Lauren Yerkes, Revolve’s chief merchandising officer. “We’ve seen success so far and are placing reorders where it makes sense,” said Yerkes, of Selkie’s styles in extended sizes. “We are a very data-driven company, and [we look] to where the customer demand is.”
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