Plus size women feel “unwanted” by fashion stores

Women shoppers sized 14-plus are feeling “unwanted” by high street fashion shops,

according to new research conducted by plus size Australian fashion retailer Taking Shape. The nationwide survey revealed that 90 percent of plus size women felt abandoned by the UK high street, while two-thirds of those surveyed felt that the range of clothing and sizes available is disappointing.

The research also found that only one in ten of plus size women felt comfortable asking for help from in-store assistants as they feel they don’t understand or can’t relate to their needs, while only 7 percent said that they purchased clothes with fashion or trends in mind, instead they bought clothes to hide the parts of the bodies that they hate.

The biggest ‘bug-bear’ of women shoppers sized 14-plus surveyed is not having a door or curtain in the store changing room that provides enough privacy, closely followed by not having helpful staff on hand to give good advice and find alternative sizes.

Commenting on the results, Alla Buinowicz, managing director of Taking Shape, which launched into the UK last year, said: “I am staggered by this research. Millions of women in the UK have been left in the cold by the major high street chains and, unsurprisingly, they have abandoned shopping on the high street. These curvy British women feel unwanted and they are certainly unrepresented.”

With the UK plus size market forecasted to be worth 6.26 billion pounds this year, according to the UK Trade and Industry, these issues might have an impact on this niche fashion industry that is expected to have year-on-year growth in the UK with sales expected to rise 21 percent to 7.57 billion pounds by 2017.