Retailers across the board are focusing on fit both literally and as a brand promise (see JCP above). But let’s focus on the merchandise.
As the country becomes more diverse, there’s a change in perceptions of beauty and many women are unapologetic about their shapes—not everyone aspires to be a size 2 anymore. In fact, let’s face it: curvy is in. It’s part of a larger movement on the conversation about beauty (the anti-Photoshop movement, for example) and smart retailers are catching on. We’re not talking plus-size assortments necessarily, but wider selections of sizes and styles that flatter more body types throughout the store. We’ve noted these kinds of improved assortments at Macy’s, Kohl’s and Dillard’s in our most recent store checks. This is the kind of improvement that comes from listening to the store’s customers and and being smart about the demographic changes at a macro level.
We track these kinds of trends and their impact on merchandising assortments to provide a perspective on who’s winning the retail game. To learn more about how we assess the market, click here.
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