J. Crew and Universal Standard's collaboration created a line that extends up to 5X, a size-inclusive collection that echoes a lot of efforts by more and more fashion brands nowadays.
Last January, J. Crew and Madewell made their denim sizes extend from 32 to 35, which is an important step in leveling up with other fashion brands that hope and aim to cater to more and more customers. Now, it seems there is no stopping J. Crew from highlighting the vitality of size inclusivity with an all new team-up with Universal Standard.
Universal Standard is a brand well-known for its size-inclusive fashionable pieces that range from XXS to 5X. That said, J. Crew is very apt in tapping the brand in bringing a new collection that involves track pants, dresses, skirts, basic tees, cardigans, and a whole lot more. These trendy clothes come in red, lilac, green, black, teal, and other colors.
J. Crew's Lisa Greenwald said they wanted to collaborate with experts in extending sizes and that Universal Standard has a "highly technical approach." So, the brainchild of the team-up is a collection that is "tailored for the real, diverse spectrum of the American woman."
The collection is a wonderful combination of all things that J. Crew has been known about, khakis and stripes, and Universal Standard's chic, modern designs. Greenwald said working with those who know what they're doing will certainly help their brand perfect their techniques in addressing other markets.
Criticisms
It can be remembered that J. Crew, despite extending its denim size, faced underwhelmed customers' concerns. Others immediately compared the brand with others that offer size-inclusive denims, and they felt that the denims were undersized.
Basically, asking for help from Universal Standard is overall a good step for J. Crew after its first efforts in releasing size-inclusive wardrobe turned out to be lackluster. After all, inclusivity is what's in, as more and more brands embrace the fact that people don't come in one size.
"I think that this collaboration is going to make a lot of women, hopefully, very happy," Universal Standard cofounder Alexandra Waldman said.
Furthermore, Waldman said the collaboration could push forward their brand's mission of making clothes for everyone, regardless of the size. More than that, Universal Standard and J. Crew are going to make exclusivity a thing of the past.
Some shoppers feel embarrassed or tend to get shy when shopping in the plus-size section and to address this, J. Crew is thinking of putting the sizes of this collection together.