Special sizes in girls', boys' are a real 'plus' for retailers

Discount Store News, Nov 17, 1997

Older adults are not the only ones perusing the plus-size aisles these days. In fact, a growing faction of younger consumers are on the prowl for more fashion-forward apparel that meets their special-size needs.

The reason: Lifestyle changes where stick ball has been replaced by joy sticks; hide-and-go-seek has been supplanted by surfing the Internet; and a well-balanced meal prepared by mom has been substituted with a pile of greasy burgers and fries from a favorite fast food restaurant eaten on the run.

"Americans are getting bigger. Today, the average women weighs about 142 lbs. and wears a size 12. People are getting heavier than they were 10 years ago because of fast food restaurants, computers and cable TV, which promote lots of inactivity," said Bob Luehrs, president of Chic/H.I.S.

More sedentary lifestyles have produced a greater need for plus sizes, a fact not lost on JCPenney and Sears, both of which have long offered husky-size apparel for boys and half sizes for girls.

The story is quite different for all but a small contingent of discounters that have not yet tapped the potential of the market with a line of clothing suitable for larger-size girls and boys.

Manufacturers such as VF Jeanswear are trying to change that with its new Extra Special line of Riders plus-size jeans for girls.

"There is a desperate need out there for plus sizes for girls. The boys' husky market is more evolved and developed, but there are still great opportunities for discounters to pursue both businesses," said Angelo Lagregra, president of VF Jeanswear for the mass market. VF manufactures such popular jeanswear labels as Wrangler, Riders, Brittania and Rustler.

Chic/H.I.S. sees the same kind of opportunities and will debut its first ever line of jeans and pants for boys and girls sometime next year, according to Luehrs. Currently, Chic/H.I.S. concentrates its efforts in plus sizes on women who wear sizes 18 to 26.

But Luehrs feels there is an opportunity for a niche business here for younger consumers, considering that approximately one in five people under the age of 16 are considered obese. Other manufacturers also estimate that there is between 20% to 30% incremental business from core sizing.

Despite these statistics, floor space for plus-size children's apparel is not on the way at most discount stores for both categories. So far, only Ames and ShopKo have committed any amount of space for these lines.

However, Kmart, Bradlees and Meijer among others, have long offered husky sizes for boys, although mostly in jeanswear.

At Kmart, Wrangler and Brittania jeans are offered, and they are incorporated into the regular jeans mix. At Bradlees, a sign identifying Exchange and Riders-brand jeans in husky sizes are fixed atop a rounder for the special-size merchandise. Meijer offers Rustler, Wrangler and Brittania in jeans and Falls Creek, a private label, in dress pants. Even Kids "R" Us offers only husky sizes for boys, and only in jeans: New Legends, a store brand, Levi's and Lee's.

Since discount department stores are maintaining only a token offering in children's special sizes, the business will remain largely the domain of Sears and JCPenney. These two retailers dedicate space within their children's planogram for these special sizes and in a variety of merchandise styles for casual as well as special occasions. However, they do not call attention to the program. Neither store provides shoppers with special interior signs identifying the selection. Shoppers must ask for help in finding the selection, which is often limited, but does include a sampling of the merchandise found elsewhere in the departments.

Those few discounters that carry kids' plus sizes are experiencing tremendous growth, but there are only a limited number of doors that stock them," Lagregra said.

ShopKo has taken a leadership role here making extended sizes a priority over the past few years. The selection of extended sizes for kids, however, is limited to bottoms only, and they are incorporated into the rest of the department's mix. There are no special signs identifying the program for consumers.

The retailer does have a much larger special sizes presence in women's and men's.

In women's apparel, ShopKo focuses on core categories such as casual tops, bottoms and intimates in a wide and deep selection of colors and styles. The chain stocks only private label brands such as Willow Bay for casual products and Northcrest for outdoor attitude such as denim and flannel; it does not offer careerwear.

The strategy has paid off for the chain, according to Skip Chustz, senior vice president, general merchandise manager, who said the regional chain's extended sizes in women's have produced double-digit sales growth over each of the past two years.

Men's extended sizes have experienced good increases as well, driven by an extensive selection including nine sizes in flannel shirts, up to 4X in bottoms and three to four tall sizes in leading brands such as Wrangler and Rustler.