The plus-sized fashion industry has exploded in the past couple years. Models like Ashley Graham, Iskra Lawrence and Robin Lawley have graced magazine covers and advertising campaigns for brands like Aerie, H&M and Lane Bryant. While plus-sized women’s fashion has become a huge business, the same can’t really be said for plus-sized men’s fashion.
Even Aerie, a company that has worked hard to re-brand itself as body positive took a bit of a misstep in 2016 when its #AerieMan campaign, which was supposed to celebrate men of all sizes, turned out to be an April Fool’s Day joke. They claimed it wasn’t so much a hoax as an opportunity to raise awareness about body positivity, but people still weren’t impressed.
The truth is, there aren’t many major brands out there carrying—and advertising that they carry—plus-sized men’s clothing. Target and Old Navy both have Big & Tall collections, but the selection is on the basic side. Luckily, British online retailer ASOS has stepped up to the plate to change that.
By the end of February, there will be hundreds of items for men to choose from in the Plus (which goes up to size XXXXL) and Tall (for men 6’3 and taller) categories. There will be selection from ASOS’ own collection as well as other plus brands ASOS works with. The plus-sized lines are being marketed towards ASOS’ typical demographic— the young, diverse and stylish, which is reflected in the models used for the new departments.
In an interview with Mic, ASOS’s head of menswear design, Nick Eley said, “We wanted the same look and feel as the rest of our clothing, but just made larger. For so long now, plus and tall clothing has often been basic. And I think the more people do it, the more accessible and the more normal it would be.”
Being an online retailer, ASOS makes sure to include a detailed size guide and instructions on how to measure yourself so you can choose the right size the first time. They also include a handy video and the model’s measurements so customers are better able to gauge what size they’ll need.
Now the only question is how long before other big brands like H&M, Urban Outfitters and Topshop follow ASOS’s lead and start offering more plus-sized options for men?
