Sweetface and H&M Unload Plus Size Lines...

Both H&M and Sweetface have discontinued their plus-sized clothing lines. Here is their response as to why the lines have been ended:

H&M and Jennifer Lopez's Sweetface Fashion LLC, brands known for style-conscious yet relatively affordable clothing, are discontinuing their plus-size lines in the United States. (H&M's collection, called BiB for Big is Beautiful, will continue to be sold in other countries.)

"It's absolutely not an image issue," said Lisa Sandberg, director of communications for H&M in the United States. Her sentiment was echoed by Andy Hilfiger, president and co-founder of Sweetface, as well as representatives of the Gap, J. Crew and other companies that offer extended sizes online.

According to Hilfiger, the plus-size line "did okay." The problem, he said, was that department stores stocked it in their plus-size departments; Hilfiger wanted it in juniors, next to the brand's other sizes.

"A lot of designers, they're not advertising the plus-size line," Hilfiger said. "I wanted a girl that was a size 2 to shop with a size 13."

Hilfiger admitted that designing for plus-size customers takes experience -- a point that Lane Bryant likes to emphasize.


Article Coutesy of The Washington Post