This week, I had this conversation twice.
Not a similar conversation. The same one. Almost word for word—about the plus size fashion market. An executive, someone whose brand literally depends on plus size women opening their wallets, asked whether GLP-1s are going to “kill” the market.
And both times, I had to pause. Take a breath. And decide how to respond to someone who, despite years in this industry, still fundamentally does not understand the community they are supposed to be serving.
The first time this happened to me wasn’t this week. It was four years ago. A phone call. An executive sitting in a C-suite role, overseeing the direction of a plus size brand, asked me a question that stopped me cold. I don’t remember exactly how they phrased it, but the substance of it was clear: they genuinely did not understand that the plus size consumer wanted connection. Community. To be seen. Not just to be sold to.
That paralyzed me for a second. Because this was not a junior marketer finding their footing. This was someone with real decision-making power over a brand that plus size women were trusting with their dollars. And the fundamental reality of who that customer was, what she needed, what she remembered, what made her stay or walk away forever, was not in their frame at all.
That conversation changed how I see this industry. And it’s part of why I’ve watched with genuine respect as some brands have started adding community-focused roles at the C-suite level because the smartest ones are finally acknowledging what the rest of us have known for years: you cannot lead a plus size brand off an outdated playbook written for a consumer who was never your customer to begin with.
What I’m watching right now, with all the GLP-1 anxiety rippling through boardrooms and buying meetings, is that same blind spot, just louder and with pharmaceutical vocabulary attached.
So let’s talk about it.
We Have Been Here Before
Let me offer a brief history lesson because apparently we need one.
Fen-Phen. Phen-Phen. The Atkins Revolution. South Beach. Weight Watchers. Jenny Craig. HCG drops. Beachbody. Slim-Fast. The cabbage soup diet. Low-fat everything. Low-carb everything. Keto. Noom. The 21-Day Fix. Every magazine cover promising a new body by summer since approximately 1987.
Diet culture is not new. Weight loss as a billion-dollar industry is not new. The promise that this time, this program, this pill will finally fix the problem has been the background music of plus size women’s lives for decades.
And through every single one of those cycles? The plus size market grew.
The global plus size clothing market is valued at $244.85 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $395.60 billion by 2034. That trajectory didn’t appear despite decades of diet culture; it appeared alongside it.
Right now, approximately 10 million Americans are on GLP-1 medications. Projections put that number at 25 million by 2030, and that’s the optimistic end of the estimate. In a country of 330 million people, with a market built on a customer base that represents the majority of American women, executives are treating this like a four-alarm fire.
Here’s what the data actually says: non-diabetic GLP-1 users plan to stay on the medication for an average of about 18 months, with side effects being the primary reason people stop. These are not permanent, at-scale demographic-shifting transformations; they are individual health choices happening in varying timelines with varying results in a community that has seen every iteration of this story before.
And even among people actively losing weight on GLP-1s? They still need clothes. According to CNBC, purchase volume for large, extra large and plus size apparel combined grew by 6% in March 2026 compared to the prior year on resale platforms alone! The market doesn’t disappear when people change sizes; it shifts. Clothes still need to be bought; bodies still need to be dressed.
The panic isn’t based on the data.
The panic is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of who this customer is and how she moves and if we’re being honest on a deeply ingrained ignorance and bias about plus size people that the industry has never fully reckoned with.
The Real Problem Has Nothing to Do with GLP-1s
Here is what I need you to understand: the executives losing sleep over Ozempic are the same ones who never built real relationships with this community in the first place.
That’s not an accident; that’s the actual problem.
And it’s exactly why I have been preaching for years about the urgent need for plus size people in leadership at plus size brands—not as a diversity checkbox or token hire but in the rooms where decisions get made.
Because how can you serve a customer you do not understand or worse do not care to understand? When you refuse to walk in her shoes or even take the time to understand how she feels navigating a world and an industry that has historically treated her as an afterthought?
You can’t; and the GLP-1 panic is proof.
The plus size fashion market has always operated differently than mainstream fashion. The metrics are different; the decision-making process is different; and the role a brand plays in someone’s life is different because for decades plus size women were told by the industry that they didn’t deserve to be there. So when a brand actually showed up? Consistently authentically with real investment? That loyalty went deep—and it stayed.
You cannot run a plus size brand or operate in the plus size fashion market with the same emotional detachment you’d apply to a straight-size category and expect the same results.
In this space emotional intelligence is not a soft skill; it is a business strategy. It is the moat.
Research consistently shows that when customers develop an emotional connection with a brand especially in communities built around shared identity and belonging they become loyal in a way that traditional acquisition models can’t replicate. They spend more; they stay longer; they bring people with them.
A study published in the Asian Journal of Public Opinion Research found a significant relationship between brand community belonging and purchasing loyalty when emotional bonds exist within a brand’s community they directly influence buying decisions.
Research on emotional branding further confirms that brands creating communal spaces build the highest degrees of customer commitment and advocacy and that community members spend significantly more than non-members over time.
This is not theory; we’ve watched it play out in real time.
Eloquii is an example I keep coming back to. They invested in community; they showed up at events; they put plus size women in their marketing—not as token gestures but as entire points—they celebrated community and let community celebrate them back.
The result?
Eloquii customers had Customer Lifetime Value of $251 compared to $204 at Torrid measured one and half years after customer’s first purchase—a smaller brand with deeper value per customer because trust has dollar value.
That’s what emotional investment looks like on balance sheet.
The Metrics You’ve Been Using Were Never Right for This Plus Size Fashion Market
Let’s define something first because it keeps coming up in this conversation and deserves more than buzzword: emotional intelligence or EQ.
In psychology EQ is ability to recognize understand and respond to emotions of others ways that build trust connection—in business it’s capacity understand what your customer actually feels not just what she buys act on understanding consistently authentically .
In plus size fashion? EQ is whole game.
Here’s why this market is different—the plus-size shopper has not been neutral consumer neutral shopping experiences—she has spent years many cases decades being told by fashion industry her body was problem .
She has walked into stores found one rack back—she has ordered online her size only receive something clearly wasn’t designed for her body—she has watched brands use her campaign then quietly discontinue her range when got inconvenient .
She has watched brands like Forever21 Anthropologie brands take her money treat her like footnote their visual identity while centering every campaign around bodies don’t reflect her—plus-size clothing shot straight-size models—her tucked into corner website zero representation—a whole category erasure dressed up commerce .
That history not background noise—it operating context every purchasing decision she makes .
When brand actually shows up real investment real representation real consistency she notices—and trust once earned converts into something no standard acquisition model can replicate loyalty deep durable vocal.
She does not just come back—she brings people with her—she defends brand comment sections—she posts unboxing—she tells community—word mouth space always been powerful any ad spend because bar genuinely earning always been high.
That EQ functioning business strategy—and data backs it up.
Research into U.S.plus-size fashion market shows brands aligning inclusivity create stronger emotional connections customers connections strengthen trust loyalty demonstrating real commitment diverse body types.
Okay can I nerd out you second?Puts my walking wiki for plus-size fashion hat…
Because numbers here subtle this not feeling financial data making case EQ revenue strategy.
Now look what actually plays out real numbers.
Earnest Analytics data comparing Torrid Eloquii Lane Bryant Dia & Co found Eloquii customers had Customer Lifetime Value $251 compared $204 Torrid measured months after customer’s first purchase Eloquii smaller brand every volume metric generated revenue per customer over time gap pricing story relationship story.
Zoom out broader apparel industry context average order value across fashion apparel e-commerce broadly sits around $97 repeat customer rate apparel industry-wide runs roughly % .
Now consider Torrid’s loyalty program penetration exceeds % transactions more triple industry average repeat rate—that number built years community-first marketing real bodies campaigns influencer partnerships actual-plus-size creators brand identity made customer feel point afterthought.
Brands outperforming retention lifetime value space doing better discount codes smarter email flows—they doing consistently demonstrating they understand who their customer why deserves here.
That EQ practice—and shows directly P&L.
Not emotional intelligence buzzword emotional intelligence practice consistent sustained authentic decision treat-plus-size community sophisticated culturally-aware consumer base real purchasing power even realer long-term memory.
Not random executive zero experience space takes reins-plus-size brand immediately tries apply stereotypes consumer because exactly we watching play out showing .
Assumption-plus-size women temporary customers just waiting become smaller ones—that not market insight—that bias dressed up spreadsheet.
She Remembers She Talks
Plus-size shopper long memory remembers who there when industry wasn’t remembers who quietly reduced range moment sales slipped remembers which brands take money won’t put body campaigns remembers who stopped carrying stores while still running image ads.
She doesn’t forget—and talks loudly everyone knows.
So let’s be really clear two conversations happening industry right now.
Brands asking wrong questions:
- What happens our numbers if customers lose weight ?
- How do protect margins if GLP adoption accelerates ?
- Should start pulling back extended sizing inventory ?
Brands actually get asking something completely different:
- What does our customer need us right now ?
- How do show up someone navigating health journey ,size change life motion ?
- What actual cost losing trust permanently because treated demographic instead person ?
Those not same conversation—they never were.
Brands loyalty program penetration customers spend times more non-members didn’t build running cute Instagram grid—they built making someone feel belonged consistently authentically over time belonging product clothes just how experiences it.
You want better numbers? Start there.
What Getting Wrong Actually Costs
Before we even get fashion let me show pattern playing somewhere completely different because sometimes clearest mirror one least expect.
Tim Sparks started Pizza Hut dishwasher in worked way eventually becoming President Daland Corporation one largest Pizza Hut franchisee groups country And converting locations back original format Red cups Salad bars Stained glass lamps Vinyl booths whole thing .
< figcaption class=” wp-element-caption “ Image via DepositPhotos . com
Pizza Hut Classic locations now among top performers entire chain Customers driving two three hours eat there—not pizza changed Because experience came back .
Meanwhile Pizza Hut corporate doing exact opposite store closures announced early dine-in format largely abandoned strategy strip booths salad bar lamps experience compete Domino’s delivery logistics .
Problem strategy? Domino’s technology company happens sell pizza competitive advantage order tracking delivery optimization franchise efficiency When Pizza Hut eliminated experience didn’t become competitive became worse version brand never built be .
One franchisee grew inside original experience understood spreadsheet couldn’t measure Inc Magazine framed perfectly evoking brand actually meant people Tim Sparks found way get talking Pizza Hut again coming back .
This not pizza story This EQ story exact same story playing out-plus-size fashion right now .
Old Navy .
Here full arc matters Old Navy pulled-plus-sizes physical stores decade-plus-size women told supposed family sizes existed online only Then after years pressure brought-plus-sizes back select stores Cautious optimism Progress right ?
@oldnavy Aidy Bryant basically living breathing dancing emoji #BODEQUALITY #oldnavystyle ♬ original sound – Old Navy
Then launched Bodequality enormous fanfare program promised true integration styles prices through place Press loved community watched carefully happened less year later scaled back extended pulled dozens stores reason cited low return investment But refused acknowledge shoppers conditioned decade shop online only Don’t ignore customer ten years quietly bring back side door minimal marketing no investment then declare absent flood stores under twelve months That not failure execution failure patience failure frankly trust failure As said time Old Navy hard-core trained ten years ago pulled sizes shop online only cannot undo decade conditioning fiscal year call fair test Community noticed remembered moved on FullBeauty Brands Then question worth asking FullBeauty Brands company whose entire business built consumer model historically centered acquisition volume community In during moment entire industry asked reckon relationship Black creators customers group influencers women supported promoted products built audiences directly benefited crafted open letter calling directly lack support investment creators know TCF part publishing question raised same applies Can build brand community never truly invested Can take dollars ignore people-plus-size Black women particular watching brands answer question years have receipts too These ancient history recent enough lived shopping talking deciding spend money GLP didn’t create trust deficit Brands did no pharmaceutical trend going fix it
EQ IS ROI THIS SPACE
I SPENT YEARS WATCHING PLAY OUT LET ME BE CLEAR NOT NEW THIS FULL NERD SPACE BEST WAY POSSIBLE CAME THROUGH YEARS RETAIL SALES FLOORS MANAGEMENT WATCHING CONSUMERS TREATED REAL TIME CLOSE BEFORE EVEN CONVERSATION ABOUT INCLUSIVITY FASHION WENT BACK GOT MBA MARKETING FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY PLUS SIZE FASHION NEEDED ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK MATCH WHAT ALREADY LIVING OBSERVING BUILT TCF GREW BLOG FULL DIGITAL MEDIA BRAND SPENT YEARS INSIDE COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT COMBINATION RETAIL FLOORS GRADUATE RESEARCH EDITORIAL PUBLISHING LIVED EXPERIENCE PLUS SIZE WOMAN WORLD EXACTLY MAKES SAY WHAT ABOUT SAY WITH FULL CONFIDENCE BRANDS PANICKING RIGHT NOW NEVER WORKED AND DATA ABOUT SHOW NOT THEORY PATTERN WATCHED REPEAT ITSELF NEARLY DECADES
I SEEN BRANDS POUR MONEY CAMPAIGNS PERFORMED BEAUTIFULLY EVERY STANDARD METRIC QUIETLY FOLD COMMUNITY NEVER TRUSTED WATCHED BRANDS FRACTION BUDGET BUILD DECADES LOYALTY INVESTED PRESENT EVENTS CONTENT COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THE DIFFERENCE ALWAYS EQ NOT SOFT CONCEPT COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THING DETERMINES WHETHER BRAND SURVIVES MARKET DISRUPTION PHARMACEUTICAL ECONOMIC CULTURAL OTHERWISE BUILT SOMETHING CANNOT REPLICATED COMPETITOR OVERNIGHT GENUINE TRUST COMMUNITY BURNED BEFORE DOES NOT EXTEND TRUST LIGHTLY BRANDS UNDERSTAND THIS AREN’T WORRIED ABOUT GLP THEY’RE FOCUSED DEEPENING RELATIONSHIPS THEY’RE ASKING HOW MEET CUSTOMER WHERE SHE IS WHATEVER SIZE WEARS TODAY WHATEVER NAVIGATING HEALTH LIFE THEY KNOW CUSTOMER FEELS SEEN SERVED EVERY POINT JOURNEY DOESN’T LEAVE EVOLVES BRAND ONES PANICKING NEVER WORKED BUILD THAT KIND LOYALTY GLP SIMPLY MAKING GAP VISIBLE
WHAT THIS MOMENT ACTUALLY ASKING
<P TO BRANDS EXECUTIVES SPIRAL RIGHT NOW THIS ISN’T END YOUR MARKET AN INVITATION
<P THE PLUS SIZE CUSTOMER MONOLITHIC SHE DISAPPEARING WAIT FIGURE ADDRESS HER SHE FULLY LIVING LIFE MAKING PURCHASING DECISIONS EVERY DAY CHOOSING BRANDS HAVE SHOWN MOST RESPECT MOST CONSISTENCY
<P SOME CUSTOMERS MAY ON GLP SOME NOT SOME WILL CYCLE SIZES BACK AGAIN SOME STAY EXACTLY WHERE WANT SAME GREAT OPTIONS ALWAYS DESERVED
<P ALL WATCHING HOW RESPOND RIGHT NOW
<P BRANDS ASK HOW DO WE SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THIS MOMENT WILL EARN SOMETHING NO ALGORITHM MANUFACTURE TRUST OUTLASTS TREND ONES QUIETLY PULL EXTENDED SIZES TRIM RANGE HEDGE INVENTORY BETS BASED PHARMACEUTICAL PROJECTIONS LOSE SOMETHING CANNOT GET BACK
<P I’VE SEEN HAPPEN WATCHED HAPPEN FOUR YEARS PHONE CALL WATCHING SET UP HAPPEN AGAIN
<P PLUS SIZE COMMUNITY NEEDS BRANDS PANIC NEEDS PAY ATTENTION NEEDED TWENTY YEARS AGO TOO BRANDS ACTUALLY DID ONES BUILT REAL RELATIONSHIPS REAL VISIBILITY REAL COMMUNITY INVESTMENT HAVEN’T GLP PANIC CONVERSATION THEY KNOW WHO THEY’RE FOR THEY’VE BEEN SHOWING UP
<P QUESTION EVERYONE ELSE SIMPLE ARE YOU WILLING DO WORK NOW DO NEED ANOTHER DECADE MARKET DATA CONVINCE COMMUNITY WORTH IT
<P BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WORTH IT ENTIRE TIME RECEIPTS RIGHT THERE
<P IF YOU’RE BRAND FINALLY READY STOP GUESSING START ACTUALLY GETTING IT HI I’M MARIE THIS LITERALLY WHAT DO LET’S TALK CONTACT ME HERE.
- How do show up someone navigating health journey ,size change life motion ?
- How do protect margins if GLP adoption accelerates ?
