Expanding your audience

For years high-end women's fashion brands have been notable for downsizing their sizes - only the thinnest and most beautiful may apply. Illustrating the extreme that this has been carried to, Alex Schulman, Editor of UK Vogue, has complained that the sample sizes sent by designers are so small that only unhealthily thin models will fit them. However at this straitened time for the fashion industry as a whole, why is luxury not taking a leaf from the book of the high street and opening itself up to the idea of creating a broader appeal.

It is notable that the star items over the recent retail boom years have been shoes and handbags, with every fashion label with a pulse racing to capitalise on its brand appeal through diversification into accessories and leathergoods. Why then, can the same savvy brands not understand that the reason that these items hold so much appeal is because their appeal is not subject to size? Many a woman who has had a wretched day where NOTHING fits will splash a little more than they meant to on that must-have bag or pair of shoes to take away from the ignominy of their perceived changing-room hell.

Designers and retailers can come up with a slew of arguments for not 'going-large', ranging from protests that the styles are not suitable for certain body shapes to claims that larger sizes are left on the rails at the start of the season. While there is credence in the former, the natural riposte to the latter is to ask why brands can cater for the smaller end of the sizing spectrum but not the larger. It is notable that many of the prime items sold in discount sales and through Net-a-Porter's Outnet online discount outlet are often in the tinier editions – might there be space for a few at the larger end of the scale as well... or might these even be snapped up.

From a purely commercial point of view the biggest argument in favour of sizing up is the consideration that the biggest buyers of luxury are those 'me generation' baby boomers. While the current economic crisis is hitting this demographic they still have money and want to buy. And in case those surrounded by the young and slender hadn't noticed, as the Boomers have increased in years and wealth, it has been known for their waistlines to also augment. It is unrealistic to think that every size can be catered for, but not unreasonable to assume that sizing could be extended to above a US size eight or 10 – the size where many of the more expensive clothing brands draw a line. Also notable is the way that many luxury brands make their garments smaller than standard sizing. Armani and Paul Smith are but two of the retailers where shoppers are advised to go up a size to achieve the correct size. Why? And how short sighted of brands that could have such appeal for the silver market to alienate potentially valuable customers in this way.

In purely demographic terms it is notable that there are considerably more US size 12s in the world than size zeros. Many luxury brands would claim that these people are not their target market, do not fit with their brand image and are of no interest. While this approach may work for some, it is this arrogance that has lead to the fall of many a talented designer or innovative fashion label during difficult times. Fashion is not usually about being sensible or practical but it should be put to some designers that it may just hurt a little less to see the less-than-physically-perfect squeezed into one of their creations than it would be to dim the lights on their brand forever.