Global specialty retailer American Eagle Outfitters’ (AEO) is expanding its jeans sizes up to a 24 for women and a 48 for men, in a move that will help it drive a more personalised experience in-store and online.
Ahead of the launch of its autumn collection tomorrow (23 July), AEO says that its jeans sizing for all styles in stores and online will see its women’s collection range from 00 to 24, and men’s from 26 to 48. This will be accompanied by size 4, 8 and 16 mannequins in-store nationwide from the autumn.
AEO’s new ‘Curvy’ jean womenswear collection, available in 12 new washes, gives more space in the thigh and hip to “hug” curves and eliminates waistband gap with a new hip-to-waist ratio; while the ‘AirFlex’ line utilises air in the yarn spinning process
to make the fabric softer. Meanwhile, the menswear ‘Stacked’ line features a longer inseam that stacks at the ankle to show off the wearer’s shoes.
For Roland Gossage, CEO at product data platform GroupBy, an inclusive approach to a brand and products is good for business. “By including clothes of all sizes, brands not only expand their shopper base but also contribute to making the world a more inclusive place for adolescents and Millennials suffering from body image issues.”
It can also be used to power a more personalised experience, both in-store and online. “Once you know what size, cut, and style the customer likes, you can recommend more relevant options. Shoppers get hooked onto a brand when they are presented with personalisation that goes beyond the standard measures.
“For example, when you offer a shopper with the option of choosing a body type, style or fit, they are more likely to make a purchase. Many shoppers prefer to find the perfect fit online without having to respond to questions from a store rep.
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By GlobalData“Enriching the online, search experience with intricate personalised recommendations can be a critical step in bridging the gap between online and offline stores. Using the right kind of search tools, AE can definitely augment their sizing strategy to deliver a powerful online product discovery experience for their shoppers.”
The women’s plus-size apparel market has been growing faster than the apparel market overall in the US.
According to The NPD Group, American shoppers spent $21.4bn on women’s plus-size clothing in 2016, with the number of teenage females aged between 13 and 17 buying plus-size clothing having almost doubled between 2012 and 2016.
