Brands are betting big on inclusivity and Old Navy just took another step in making fashion a more equal space. The company has not only done away with its separate plus-size section, but is now also offering all sizes for the same price.
The retailer’s new Bodequality shopping experience includes size integration, meaning all women’s styles in sizes 0-28 will be together, with no distinct sections. All styles, in every size, will also be offered at the same prices, according to a press release. The new layout can be found online and at the chain’s 1,200-plus stores, which will have mannequins in sizes four, 12 and 18. The retailer carries sizes 0-30 and XS-4X in-store, with the exception of select styles of size 30, which will be offered online only.
Old Navy says it spent years doing research, customer consultations and design reviews before the Bodequality launch, including body scans of 389 women to create digital avatars based on real women’s bodies. The retailer also says it ran clinics with models in sizes 20-28 to build new fitting blocks based specifically on their proportions, rather than making blocks for smaller sizes and merely sizing those up for the larger ones.
“We saw an opportunity to meaningfully change the women’s shopping experience by making it more inclusive regardless of size,” Nancy Green, president and CEO of Old Navy, said in announcement of the new directive. “Bodequality is not a one-time campaign, but a full transformation of our business in service to our customers based on years of working closely with them to research their needs. I’m proud of the collaboration across our Old Navy teams to evolve the retail experience for women.”
Victoria’s Secret has also recently announced some pretty big changes to its business model, retiring its iconic Angels and runway show for a more inclusive direction designed to speak to all types of women.
Instead of runway models, the new VS Collective is a group of women who represent success, passion and change. The group includes some pretty big names from the worlds of sports, entertainment and more, including soccer icon Megan Rapinoe, world champion freestyle skier Eileen Gu and actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
The change comes after the lingerie giant canceled its popular fashion show in 2019 and decided to “evolve the marketing” of the brand after a drop in sales. Les Wexner, the longtime CEO of the company’s parent brand, then stepped down in 2020, further signaling that major changes were in the works for Victoria’s Secret.
“At Victoria’s Secret, we are on an incredible journey to become the world’s leading advocate for women,” Martin Waters, chief executive officer of Victoria’s Secret, said in a press release. “This is a dramatic shift for our brand, and it’s a shift that we embrace from our core. These new initiatives are just the beginning. We are energized and humbled by the work ahead of us.”
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