A decade ago, it was near impossible to find a brand that stocked stylish clothing above a size 14 in Aotearoa. We’ve seen multiple brands, both local and international, making a conscious effort towards being more inclusive across the board but there is still much work to be done. With the majority of labels still only stocking up to a women’s size 14 or 16, it begs the question, why aren’t all brands championing inclusivity in their sizing? And furthermore, why isn’t our desire for industry change more evenly distributed?
Footwear is a largely overlooked category in conversations around size inclusivity. Whether it’s the length of the shoe itself, or the width of the sole or calf, there’s many people who have to miss out on buying chic footwear simply because they can’t fit the sizing range on offer. No two bodies are alike, so how can we expect all women to fit into such a small variety of shoe sizing?
One local brand who has taken such feedback on board is Merchant 1948, the sister brand of Mi Piaci. Unveiled on Friday the 8th to align with International Women’s Day, the local brand has launched its first-ever diverse-fit boot range titled ‘Fit For Me’.
Made specifically for women who have long struggled to find high-leg boots that fit, the brand recruited their own team to front the campaign, choosing to feature five women who normally operate behind the scenes. “We believe that one size doesn’t fit all,” the brand stated in a press release. “With that in mind, Munawwar, Sorel, Sophie, Ellie and Kellee from behind the brand, have stepped in front of the camera to showcase our expanded footwear range that caters to a diverse array of sizing options.”
Having received regular feedback about sizing from their customer base and team, Merchant began the process of increasing the calf sizing of their boots six months ago. “Our first step in the process was to hold an office-wide calf measuring session and we owe a huge thanks to the team for being so willing, vulnerable and involved,” says Merchant director, Louise Anselmi.
Measuring the widest point of their calves and ankles, this research helped them to understand a vast variety of calf shapes and dimensions, which they then utilised during the design process. “We created a database from narrow to double extra-wide measurements and designed boots to fit in these bands that were both classic and modern, hopefully providing options to customers that we haven’t before,” says Anselmi.
Having previously offered only a regular fit, stretch fit and some wide fit style boots, Merchant has now extended their offering into: narrow fit, standard fit, wide fit, extra-wide fit, and double extra-wide fit. “We are excited to be starting this journey, offering a greater diversity of fits in long boots,” says Anselmi. “We will take the learnings and feedback from customers this winter, to improve the inclusivity of our collections. This is the beginning, not the end of our Inclusive fit journey.”
Like anything in the industry, change doesn’t happen overnight. But one thing’s for sure, it’s a step in the right direction.
Words: Amberley Colby
Images: Supplied
