FEATURE
introduced its jumbo range of 46-inch shirts and
50-inch trousers. Following close suit over the
years, many reputed brands have redefined and
added an exclusive plus-size collection to their
repertoire. While e-commerce is pushing the
market forward, brands such as Fab Alley and
online pop-up store Pop Up Galleria, who believe
that personalisation boosts the demand for
plus-size fashion, have also been steering it closer
to success.
Brands who cater to a niche market respond
willingly to requests and special asks. This has
brought them closer to their customers and their
preferences. These brands understood right
from the beginning that one size does not fit all.
Perhaps that is why they have been open to new
styles, bringing innovation to the plus-size sphere,
which also boosts their brand loyalty.
According to a Technopak report, the plus-size
clothing category has, over time, contributed
close to US$1.8 billion to the overall apparel
industry. These amazing growth numbers have
inspired international brands such as Ralph
Lauren and Michael Kors to bring in a dedicated
range of full-figure clothing for the Indian market.
What’s more, for the third year running in 2018,
Kishore Biyani’s brainchild, ALL, participated in
Lakmé Fashion Week, where plus-size models
walked the ramp draped in an exclusive couture
collection by the brand. This shows how the
industry is slowly adopting a wave of change and
bringing plus-size fashion into the mainstream.
To cite another example, just a few years ago,
Allen Solly, a brand of Madura Fashion & Lifestyle,
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I APPAREL I
June 2019
MARKET FUTURE
In terms of commercial viability, the Indian plus-
size market may not be as big as the US—which
is estimated to be a US$25 billion-market—but
the demand for plus-size clothing here is just as
much. Most brands, recognising the promise
of plus-size clothing, are selling online as well.
Instagram pages such as LaGlits, your_lil_shop,
Mria’s, and many more, are producing styles for
the Indian body type, juxtaposing them against
international design elements. They are open
to customisations, and cater to every kind
of physique.
Retailers are vouching for the growing trends
in plus-size clothing, and believe that the market
for the same is expanding by the day, reaching
newer horizons. By the end of this year, the plus-
size garment sphere is sure to register remarkable
growth, establishing it as an independent sector
within the textile and apparel industry.