Dive Brief:
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J.Crew is now offering women’s clothing in size 000 or XXXS, equivalent to a size 32 in Italy, a one in Japan, and a zero in the U.K. The size sports a 23-inch waist.
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The move is being heavily criticized by bloggers, which include fans of the retailer, who say the new size is part of the “vanity sizing” J.Crew has been known for in the past. In vanity sizing, larger sizes are marked with lower numbers to cheer up customers and, presumably, nudge along a sale.
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The company, meanwhile, says the move is a response to demand in Asia, where many women on average are smaller.
Dive Insight:
One of the problems with vanity sizing is that it eliminates options for truly smaller-size women, who find that a 0 or even a 00 is a bit too big. That means a clothing retailer will need even smaller sizes, as J.Crew says it does as it expands into Asia.
The retailer has created quite a sensation with the move, although that may blow over considering that there is, after all, an equivalent size in other areas of the world. Still, there may not be much room for any more 0's or X's on the tags.
