Robin Driver
May 26, 2021
18 years after its launch, online fashion retailer Revolve has made its first incursion into
expanded sizing via Selkie, the first brand on the platform to offer plus sizes.
Founded in 2018, Selkie has always offered its playful pastel styles in sizes XXS-5X, an inclusive approach to sizing aligned with the brand’s overall ethos of body positivity. However, when the brand first began selling on Revolve, the e-commerce platform only stocked up to a large.
“At the time, they weren’t buying extra-large, and I asked them to try it,” Selkie founder Kimberley Gordon told Glossy. “If you want to get them to do something, like add plus sizing, you have to prove your brand. And I knew that would mean that the brand would have to get really trendy, because that’s kind of their business model.”
The brand did ultimately become a hit, with its top-selling Puff Dress proving to be a favorite with influencers of all shapes and sizes thanks to its whimsical design and flattering cut.
In the wake of this success, Selkie has now become the first label on Revolve to offer its pieces in sizes up to a 2X. According to Gordon, the brand has plans to expand this “upper sizing” offering to 5X for select pieces and will also be introducing new styles.
Revolve itself seems to be using the experience as something of a test run before committing to a broader roll-out of expanded sizing.
“When we see opportunities with great business partners, we always try to find ways to work together,” Revolve chief merchandising officer Lauren Yerkes explained to Glossy, adding that the platform will “test out this offering with Selkie, see how the customer responds and go from there.”
In line with a wider shift towards inclusivity in the fashion sector, expanded sizing has become an important industry movement in recent years. According to a recent report from Allied Market Research, the plus-size clothing market was worth $481 billion in 2019, a figure that is projected to grow to $697 billion by 2027.
Many major brands and retailers have been quick to pick up on the trend, with the likes of American Eagle Outfitters, Anthropologie, Reformation and Lululemon all having launched expanded sizing in some capacity in the last couple of years.
Revolve’s annual sales totaled $580.6 million in 2020, while its earnings were $56.8 million.