Is that about the size of it?

“Now, can we stop talking about my body?” inquires the curvy Barbie doll featured last month on the cover of Time magazine. Signalling a shift towards body positivity propelled largely by internet fat activism, a rapidly expanding movement in the West which calls for acceptance, especially of women, in all sizes, the magazine reported that Mattel, the doll’s maker, has introduced her in three body types: tall, petite and curvy. However, these will be sold alongside the original model. On the heels of Time , Sports Illustrated’s 2016 swimsuit issue — another magazine owned by the same publisher — had not one, but three new covers. Each featured a woman of a different body type, to say that none of them conform to the fashion industry’s wafer-thin model standards. This shift towards a body positive world isn’t just limited to representation in the media. A large number of clothing stores in the West are taking cognisance of this and are finding ways to address it through size-inclusive clothing. And this is not just limited to adult women.

Recently, 10-year-old fashion prodigy Egypt Ufele, standing up against bullies from her school, made her debut by launching a size-inclusive clothing label called Chubiiline at the prestigious New York Fashion Week.

Lack of standardisation Many women believe the situation is quite to the contrary in India. “I don't understand why we don’t have suitable clothes for women with full figures, top and/or bottom, in a country where there are so many of them,” observes Chennai-based writer S Mahesh. “Even exercise clothes are not available in XL and above sizes. What irony!” she adds. Agreeing with Mahesh, Kochi-based researcher Archana MV believes that lack of standardisation in sizes within and across brands compounds the problem. New Delhi-based charity worker Rukmani Raman empathises. “I’ve given up on shopping for finished garments; I get most of my ethnic clothes and all of my western wear stitched by a tailor,” she adds. However, with the advent of department stores such as Marks & Spencer, which sells only Western clothes, things are looking up. “Their sizing is far more forgiving and all designs seem to be available in varied sizes,” she says. Two main problems face apparel stores that prevent them from stocking more sizes: rent and inventory liquidation, which forces them to be inventory-forward, explains Nidhi Agarwal, founder and CEO of Kaaryah. Agarwal, sensing the market opportunity in this lacuna started her “inventory-light” venture: “a mass premium brand of non-casual Western clothing to cater to women that is able to offer not just six but 18 sizes,” she adds.

Large chain stores plan their inventory 10 to 12 months ahead of time as they buy in bulk, explains Gurgaon-based Jayaram Easwaran, who in the past exported women’s clothing to South Africa’s Mr. Price Stores. Because of such large order cycles they cannot quickly re-order a product that is moving fast. So, they are compelled to forecast demand and plan accordingly. Another important aspect to be noted, says Easwaran, is that body shapes differ by age, and all have a market in the West. In India they stock sizes mostly in the youth category.

in India Westernwear is limited to metros and the younger age group. “It is simply a function of demand and supply,” he adds. But there’s good news: demand is increasing. Western wear is turning out to be one of the fastest growing categories in the apparel segment, since more and more women shoppers, particularly working women, across metros and smaller cities are increasingly opting for it. “As the number of stores increase rapidly to meet this demand one hopes that their sizing charts too become more inclusive,” says Rukmani Raman.

“I think if more sizes are made available, more women, especially from the older age group, will start wearing western clothes too.”

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