Get Excited: Plus Sizes Are Finally Available at Loft

Last September Chrissy Metz appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers wearing a long-sleeve polka-dotted dress from Loft—a retailer that, though beloved and well-known, didn’t offer plus-size clothing at the time. However, that outfit credit turned out to be a low-key announcement from the brand, that it was developing a size-inclusive offering, set to debut in the near future. Well, the time has finally arrived: Loft officially introduced sizes 16 through 26. And yes, Metz’s exact Late Night dress is available for purchase.

“There was just a lot of passion in the building and in the organization to want to bring Loft to this group of customers,” Laura Jacobs, Loft’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, tells Glamour. “We also have petites, and we have maternity, and we have a tall assortment, and there’s absolutely no reason not to go and do plus.” According to her and Danielle Saltzman, the brand’s Senior Merchandiser, requests for extended sizing had poured in from all levels of the company, from members of the corporate team to the sales associates in brick-and-mortar Loft locations.

Loft conducted surveys and focus groups with customers to get a sense of how the “Loft point of view” would translate to a new size range. The brand had already worked with the subscription clothing rental service Gwynnie Bee on a capsule of plus-size garments last year, and that experience proved to be an integral part of the development process. The response from that partnership was overwhelming, Jacobs recalls: Customers wanted more—and soon. “Frankly, that customer validated everything that we had been working on [for expanding into plus sizes],” she says. “Gwynnie Bee wasn’t separate from this launch. It was part of it.” She adds that a portion of the full plus-size line will still be available to rent through Gwynnie Bee in the coming months.

For its first plus-size collection, Loft drew upon its existing design DNA, with a focus on feminine, style-driven pieces. The team was almost mindful of customer feedback, which emphasized a need for plus-size options beyond the wardrobe foundations (i.e., basics) you expect. “There were certain things that they are able to find out in the market—the more basic staples, everyday things that you need—but not necessarily the things that you love,” Jacobs explains. “So we really started off with the part of our line that is the most emotional: the color, the print, the patterns.”

Its inaugural offering runs the gamut, from all the trademark pieces familiar to Loft fans (think floral dresses, colorful pants, and printed tops) to statement items that feel a little bit more special and unique. “There’s this amazing floral kimono jacket with a little cinched waist and a tie that we have that I’m really excited about,” Saltzman says. “And our faux-suede leggings are incredible. When our fit models put them on, they both were like, ‘I’m going out tonight! Can I keep this?'”

This new section isn’t meant as an independent collection, but rather as an extension of the brand’s established aesthetic. That required an attention to detail and consideration of fit nuances during the design process, to ensure that the pieces would actually translate across sizes. “All of the designs are the same great designs at Loft, but then tailored for the plus woman,” Saltzman explains. “Every last detail is constructed with the intention to give her the very best fit where it counts.” Read: No scaling up and adding fabric for the sake of it.

Some retailers have received criticism for caring more for larger sizes when introducing an extended line—and that’s something the Loft team was very much mindful of when figuring out the pricing strategy: The pricing will be consistent—and affordable—across all product categories and sizes, Jacobs and Saltzman say. “All of the prices, with the exception of a blazer or two, are under $100,” Jacobs adds.

You can shop Loft’s new extended size range on its website here.

You Can Now Rent Clothes From Ann Taylor For $95 a Month

What CurvyCon Says About Where Fashion Is Going