Brands see plus-size niche in Latin America

By

Tamara Gonzalez Litman

Published
May 23, 2017

In Colombia, fashion is evolving. For nearly two years now, Colombia and its neighbouring countries have developed a 'plus-size' clothing offering, which has become a semi-organised market with a dedicated Fashion Week and even an upcoming beauty pageant.

In the Latin American country where beauty is law, the canons of the female silhouette are more demanding still, much to the benefit of cosmetic surgery clinics, gyms and other slimming and diet centres. Which is why no-one would have predicted Latin America's recent expansion into the plus-size market, that is, beyond XL sizing.

Up until mid-2015, brands have shyly begun to enlarge their fashion sizes. One of the pioneers of the trend has been SFT Group who, after a first try and a continued realisation of the market potential in the region for plus-size, launched successfully a larger-size line in December last year.

The Chilean department store chain Falabella -- anxious not to be left behind in the market -- has released its 'Diversity' plus-size line, while youth retailers in the country such as Kinira are also taking a slice of the market with their bigger fashion offerings. 

It is estimated that between now and 2020, the plus-size market will stand for at least 20% of fashion sales in Colombia. Moreover, according to public statistics, close to 43% of the Colombian population is currently overweight, a percentage which looks to increase each year.