Universal Standard co-founder Alexandra Waldman reveals how her brand challenged the fashion industry by creating truly inclusive clothing for the "70%" of women underserved by traditional sizing. Learn how their innovative website allows customers to view garments on models matching their specific size, fostering representation and driving conversion in a rarely-tapped market segment. This episode offers key lessons for brands looking to authentically expand their customer base through inclusive design and marketing.
Key takeaways
Traditional fashion advertising for plus-size often misses the mark; focus on authentic representation rather than stereotypical depictions (e.g., "kittens on t-shirts").
Implement website functionality that allows customers to visualize products on diverse body types, significantly improving the online shopping experience and building confidence.
Embrace a full size range (00-40 in Universal Standard's case) across all product lines to truly serve an underserved majority of consumers.
Leverage your brand's commitment to inclusivity to provide opportunities and boost the careers of underrepresented talent (e.g., diverse models).
Understand the "70%" market segment often ignored by mainstream brands and tailor your product and marketing to their specific needs and desires.
Plus-size models have made uncertain gains in advertising in recent years, though for Universal Standard co-founder Alexandra Waldman, the problem is also in how these models are often depicted.
"I always looked at ads of these women in pattern-wrapped dresses and high heels and I thought: 'I don't understand where she's going,'" Waldman said on this week's episode of the Glossy Podcast. "'Where is she going with the bows and the things, and why does she have kittens on her T-shirt? She's obviously in her 30s.'"
Universal Standard launched in 2015 to offer all of their items -- no kittens, thanks -- in sizes from 00 to 40. And though they've opened five stores all in the last several months, they've also made sure their website caters to women of all sizes, in a way they might not be used to.
"That size 8 doesn't look anything like I'm going to look when I put on that dress," Waldman said. "So we thought 'why not photograph everything on every single size and then allow women, if they wanted to, to look at the scope of the range or to click a button and make the entire website just in their size," Waldman said.
Waldman talked about the company's insistence on inclusion, the industry's sure but slow progress and how Universal Standard has boosted more than one model's career.
Traditional fashion advertising for plus-size often misses the mark; focus on authentic representation rather than stereotypical depictions (e.g., "kittens on t-shirts").
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Implement website functionality that allows customers to visualize products on diverse body types, significantly improving the online shopping experience and building confidence.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Embrace a full size range (00-40 in Universal Standard's case) across all product lines to truly serve an underserved majority of consumers.
What does this episode say about product & merchandising?
Leverage your brand's commitment to inclusivity to provide opportunities and boost the careers of underrepresented talent (e.g., diverse models).
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Understand the "70%" market segment often ignored by mainstream brands and tailor your product and marketing to their specific needs and desires.
