The first Topshop Hong Kong store will be opened tomorrow. With almost no value being a plus size blogger in Hong Kong, I have failed to report whether they will carry clothing from size 14 to 18, as so far I have not gotten any answer from anyone; including Lane Crawford Joyce Group and Lab Concept HK press team (very disappointed!)
I can see lots of people standing up to the #bodyshaming Abercrombie and Fitch since the ugly news broke out, but certainly it is not the case in Hong Kong. It is the norm that most brands do not provide clothes for fat people, so this isn't the first time I feel left out / being discriminated! Getting news of International brands opening in town always gets me excited but only to find out that they will not be importing certain sizes since there is "no market" for plus size fashion in Hong Kong.
Some might say "oh, you know, Hong Kong is so small, there is not enough population for bigger people in this market!" without knowing what really is the fact. How about comparing us to Singapore? Singapore has only 5.3 million population and we have 7.18 mil; and in Singapore, there are Topshop, River Island, Dorothy Perkins just to name a few of these high street fashion brands, which carry the FULL SIZE RANGE from 0 -18. So don't tell me we do not have enough people in this city for the plus size market.
At the same time, I am also puzzled that wherever I go shopping around town, the first sizes to have sold out in shops are always the larger sizes, plus, Marks and Spencer has been selling plus size clothing for over a decade, I don't see them complaining or stop importing! So in what sense do they think there is no such market in Hong Kong?
The reason could be because most buyers do not want to risk not selling well as there is no previous figures to support the decision, so most brands only import a few pieces of the Large size, and there is no such thing as replenishment; or that the local fashion buyers are simply just being bias, thinking large girls must not need to dress nice. Which one do you think could be the answer? If any of these buyers happened to be reading this, I just want to say, please do your research, you never know how much large size would sell if you just give it a chance. Most of the expats are complaining that they cannot find clothes in Hong Kong, and they almost all would go for a shopping spree whenever they have a chance to visit their own country / travel to the West. Let alone most only shop online nowadays, look how well ASOS is doing! And they also have ASOS Curves plus size range now!
List below are international brands which DO carry plus size internationally but not in Hong Kong.
So please don't be too disappointed next time when you come here and want to do some shopping tax free x
GAP - up to size 12 only, no 14-20
French Connect Hong Kong - up to 12 and some pieces 14, no 16 and 18
Forever 21 - up to size 14/ 42, no Forever 21 +
Massimo Dutti - up to L, occasional simple pieces XL
Roxy & Quiksilver - Most clothing only up to L, most XL not available
Ted Baker - up to size 12, a few styles up to 14, no 16
Zara - around 8% of their collection with size 46
Pull and Bear - up to 12, a few style of 14
Karen Millen - up to 14, rarely 16, no 18
Levi's/7/any Jeans - forget it
Hold on, it doesn't mean we have no hopes.
Here is the list of what's available in Hong Kong when you come shopping
http://www.apparelprojectplus.blogspot.hk/2012/08/womens-plus-size-clothing-in-hong-kong.html
Bx
I can see lots of people standing up to the #bodyshaming Abercrombie and Fitch since the ugly news broke out, but certainly it is not the case in Hong Kong. It is the norm that most brands do not provide clothes for fat people, so this isn't the first time I feel left out / being discriminated! Getting news of International brands opening in town always gets me excited but only to find out that they will not be importing certain sizes since there is "no market" for plus size fashion in Hong Kong.
Some might say "oh, you know, Hong Kong is so small, there is not enough population for bigger people in this market!" without knowing what really is the fact. How about comparing us to Singapore? Singapore has only 5.3 million population and we have 7.18 mil; and in Singapore, there are Topshop, River Island, Dorothy Perkins just to name a few of these high street fashion brands, which carry the FULL SIZE RANGE from 0 -18. So don't tell me we do not have enough people in this city for the plus size market.
At the same time, I am also puzzled that wherever I go shopping around town, the first sizes to have sold out in shops are always the larger sizes, plus, Marks and Spencer has been selling plus size clothing for over a decade, I don't see them complaining or stop importing! So in what sense do they think there is no such market in Hong Kong?
The reason could be because most buyers do not want to risk not selling well as there is no previous figures to support the decision, so most brands only import a few pieces of the Large size, and there is no such thing as replenishment; or that the local fashion buyers are simply just being bias, thinking large girls must not need to dress nice. Which one do you think could be the answer? If any of these buyers happened to be reading this, I just want to say, please do your research, you never know how much large size would sell if you just give it a chance. Most of the expats are complaining that they cannot find clothes in Hong Kong, and they almost all would go for a shopping spree whenever they have a chance to visit their own country / travel to the West. Let alone most only shop online nowadays, look how well ASOS is doing! And they also have ASOS Curves plus size range now!
List below are international brands which DO carry plus size internationally but not in Hong Kong.
So please don't be too disappointed next time when you come here and want to do some shopping tax free x
GAP - up to size 12 only, no 14-20
French Connect Hong Kong - up to 12 and some pieces 14, no 16 and 18
Forever 21 - up to size 14/ 42, no Forever 21 +
Massimo Dutti - up to L, occasional simple pieces XL
Roxy & Quiksilver - Most clothing only up to L, most XL not available
Ted Baker - up to size 12, a few styles up to 14, no 16
Zara - around 8% of their collection with size 46
Pull and Bear - up to 12, a few style of 14
Karen Millen - up to 14, rarely 16, no 18
Levi's/7/any Jeans - forget it
Hold on, it doesn't mean we have no hopes.
Here is the list of what's available in Hong Kong when you come shopping
http://www.apparelprojectplus.blogspot.hk/2012/08/womens-plus-size-clothing-in-hong-kong.html
Bx
i have very uncomforted about Size discrimination in Hong Kong. thanks for posting.
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