With a growing number of retailers embracing size inclusivity, new silhouettes that appeal to a greater demographic are also gaining popularity.
Earlier this year, American Eagle debuted a number of new fits, including a women’s curvy jean collection that offers more space through the thigh and hip. Offered in 12 washes, the hip-to-waist ratio eliminates a gap in the waistband.
And customers are more than appreciative.
According to a Yahoo Finance interview with Jefferies analyst Janine Stichter, sales of curvy jeans are on the upswing.
“Data suggests a strong response to the new silhouette,” she said, rattling off a number of findings supporting the case for the brand’s curvy fits. Not only is American Eagle registering among the most-searched terms related to “curvy jeans” but searches for the teen brand’s particular plus-size offering surged during the core back-to-school period, Stichter explained. Plus, results show that traffic to its website is up, thanks to curvy searches.
The positive results don’t end there. The product truly resonates with shoppers, and the evidence comes in the form of “extremely favorable customer reviews,” Stichter added, noting that “the large quantity of reviews speaks to strong initial traction.”
And social media posts featuring curvy products garner 50 percent more comments relative to the average, Stichter pointed out, indicating strong interest not just in the size-inclusive movement but American Eagle’s execution on product in this category.
The curvy collection’s success helped the retailer gain market share over denim-heavy teen retail rivals including Aeropostale, PacSun, Forever 21 and Abercrombie & Fitch, which also launched a “Curve Love” collection that’s searching for a foothold in the market.
In August Abercrombie noted that the Curve Love fit was gaining in popularity in stores and on social media, and announced plans to expand on the campaign—which was a major success in Boston—in the coming months.
