Size inclusivity is at the foundation of Good American, the denim brand founded by Khloe Kardashian and Emma Grede, so it’s no surprise that the brand closely follows the shopping habits of its size 14-and-up crowd. What it found inspired the creation of a brand-new size in women’s jeans: the size 15.
Though Good American carries a robust range of sizes from 00 to 24, it saw 50 percent more returns of its sizes 14 and 16 than any other size in its repertoire, said CEO Grede. Thus, the size 15 was born.
The brand officially rolled out the size 15 bottoms in September 2018, but announced earlier this month the addition of an online sizing tool that shows models sized 00 to 24 (including the brand-new size 15) wearing various denim cuts and styles. The idea is to help customers ― especially the 68 percent of American women who wear above a size 14 ― better find the right fit and size when shopping for a new pair of jeans.
The announcement comes as more clothing brands than ever are selling clothes that go above a size XL. But it’s not all good news. There’s still a huge discrepancy across the fashion industry in creating standard measurements for sizes 14 and 16, due largely to the fact that they are the point at which sizing shifts from “straight” size patterns to plus size patterns, Grede told HuffPost.
“It was clear to see from measurements that there is a bigger size grade between size 14 and 16 compared to other sizes,” Grede said. “This means that sizes jump a few more inches between a 14 and 16 than they do between a 12 and 14 or a 16 and 18.”
Making clothes for these “in-between” sizes — not plus size, but not skinny — is just one of the ways Good American is trying to bridge the gap between women’s bodies and the clothes that fit them. The brand has made a name for itself providing clothes that address fashion problems for curvy figures, like gap-proof waistbands, reinforced belt loops, curved stitching and stretch fabrics that don’t sag.
“We made room for size 15 to solve for an issue that shouldn’t even have been there in the first place.”
- Emma Grede, co-founder and CEO, Good American
“As a brand who believes that women are not defined by size, we made room for size 15 to solve for an issue that shouldn’t even have been there in the first place,” Grede said. “We solve the common fit problems seen in other brands and design to limit gaping, tugging or sagging, ensuring our customers have the perfect figure-flattering fit in every style.”
Good American launched in 2016, making more than $1 million on its first day alone. Since then, ever-more retailers are expanding into the curve- and plus-friendly market. Most recently, Anthropologie added expanded sizes to some of its best-selling pieces, and sustainable fashion label Reformation has announced plans to add a permanent plus-size collection by the end of March.
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