Joe Fresh to expand into plus sizes with fall line

Joe Fresh announced Tuesday that it is expanding into the plus-size market, a move retail analysts called a significant opportunity to cater to an underserved demographic.

The affordable apparel brand said womenswear will be available in sizes 0 to 22 and XS to 3X for its fall collection. The company’s womenswear sizing currently goes as high as size 14 and XL.

“As our brand continues to evolve, we are committed to providing our customers with products that suit their needs while delivering the same style and value,” Ian Freedman, president of Joe Fresh, said in a statement.

The first Joe Fresh plus-size products will appear in stores and online as of August 11. Floral pieces and moto jackets will be among some of the incoming products for the plussize line. The Loblaw-owned company says all sizes will have the same price.

One retail analyst said the move by Joe Fresh gives the brand a chance to do something different.

“Plus-sized women are underserved by the fashion industry,” said Ben Barry, associate chair in the school of fashion at Ryerson University in Toronto. “But if they don’t do something to distinguish their plus-sized line, this move could backfire.”

Canada’s plus-sized options are fewer than America’s, mostly due to Canada’s smaller market in general, Barry says.

Some other large players in the plus-size market include Addition Elle, Forever 21, which has its own plus-sized line, and Torrid, a U.S. company that entered the Canadian market two years ago.

The small number of plussize retailers in Canada means there's still a market to be tapped into, Barry said.