How clothing brand Fashion Nova courts curvy, plus size shoppers

For many years, plus-sized women had very little choice when it came to fashion. Curvy women were stuck with loose, flowing shirts and maxi dresses. These clothes are distinctly designed to hide a woman’s shape, not celebrate it or give it the attention it deserves.

Then came Fashion Nova, which turned the clothing world on its collective ear.

plus size shoppers

Celebrated by some of the world’s most recognizable celebrities, and bolstered by their partnership with Cardi B on a fashion line, Fashion Nova creates clothing specifically designed and sewn for the curvier woman. Emphasizing hourglass shapes and curvier builds, this clothing line has quickly become one of the world’s most popular plus-size brands.

So, what exactly does Fashion Nova do to appeal to the THICC crowd? Plenty. Here’s a list.

Fashion Nova’s brand ambassador is Cardi B

Few people have captured the public’s imagination in recent years like Cardi B. The hyper-successful rapper and social influencer became famous through her Instagram and Vine posts, building a massive fan base organically through her music and spot-on sense of style.

Today, few celebrities have Cardi’s name recognition, and she’s been routinely touted as a celebrity for modern times. Rather than making her professional debut as a singer on a large, global music label, Cardi B built her audience from scratch using social media and went viral naturally.

In 2018, Cardi B began collaborating with Fashion Nova’s chief executive, Richard Saghain, to create a clothing line for curvier women. This line was created to deliver the aesthetic quality of high-priced, global bands without the huge price tag that comes with that type of clothing.

On her partnership in 2019, Cardi B told The Business of Fashion, “Every little detail to me matters. I want to make these women look so happy — so radiant, sexy, so corporate and poppin’. I want them to look like they’re wearing Gucci and Prada, but they’re not, they’re wearing my line.”

Fashion Nova uses plus size models

One of the biggest problems with plus size fashion is the way it is often presented to consumers. In images and videos showing off clothing, the models are typically not the size of the person meant to buy what’s being worn. In other words, it’s not uncommon to see a wispy or thin person modeling clothing from a company’s plus size fashion line.

With Fashion Nova, the models fit the clothing. Throughout the company’s social accounts on Twitter and Instagram, you’ll see powerful, plus-size models rocking Fashion Nova clothing, from curve-hugging dresses to tops that emphasize a shaplier body.

From clubwear that screams confidence to bikinis that emphasize every curve and recess, Fashion Nova models make it clear that the plus size woman is beautiful and sexy – a living work of art.

Fashion Nova designs for plus-size customers

In 2016, Project Runway’s Tim Gunn wrote an op-ed claiming that the fashion industry had turned its back on plus-size women. The famous designer, consultant and television personality had this to say at the time:

“I love the American fashion industry, but it has a lot of problems and one of them is the baffling way it has turned its back on plus-size women. It’s a puzzling conundrum,” he told The Washington Post. “There are 100 million plus-size women in America, and, for the past three years, they have increased their spending on clothes faster than their straight-size counterparts.”

And yet, years later, not much has changed. Many brands refuse to make a real effort to court plus-size consumers, even though the industry is expected to reach $20 billion in sales this year.

One of the most common ways designers make it seem like they’re reaching out to curvier customers is by making plus-size versions of their standard-size pieces and trying to sell those pieces to shapelier customers.

Rather than have a plus-size model show off the same clothing in the standard-sized collection, Fashion Nova designs for the curvier consumer. Pieces have more room in the hips and chest area, and are unapologetically designed for the person who wants to show off their shape, not hide it.

If you visit Fashion Nova’s social channels, you’ll find a treasure trove of glam, plus-size women in everything from hip-hugging jeans to peasant-sleeved tops. What won’t you find? Dresses, tops and pants that were designed for the smaller crowd, and simply repurposed — poorly — for a curvier audience.

Since the launch of the Fashion Nova label, dozens of social media influencers have rocked the brand, with high quality images and videos that deliver a bolt of plus-size beauty. From Amber Rose showing off her own body positive Fashion Nova collection to Kylie Jenner’s iconic posing in a skin-tight Fashion Nova bodysuit at Coachella, this brand dominates the hip, plus-size market now and are positioned to do the same for years to come.

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