Brandy Melville - AIBU to find it a bit toxic in its marketing?

[queenceleste]

They seem to be marketing to a specifically small size of young girl/young woman. The sizing has got to exclude a significant proportion of people but I guess that’s their USP?

Does anyone else find them a bit suspect?

Yeah, I think that's the point. Also probably makes production cheaper for them too.

Plenty of other places to shop though.

I don’t know if it’s suspect. I don’t think it’s the only brand that only caters for a narrow range of sizes (especially clothes marketed at teens). My DD was obsessed with Brandy Melville when she was about 15. On a day out in London, she spent quite some time in the Covent Garden store. I just stood by the door and waited as there was clearly going to be nothing in there suitable for my broad and muscular middle-aged self. DD was very petite and could fit into their clothes at the time (although she probably wouldn’t now at 20 years old). Some brands cater for only plus size, so I guess it’s acceptable for a brand to cater for very small women.

I think all the clothing in BM is only one size (small obviously)

Some brands cater for only plus size, so I guess it’s acceptable for a brand to cater for very small women.

Brands that cater for plus size generally still stock a range of sizes, not just one single size.

BM also used to market as "one size fits all" (when it clearly doesn't) which came in for a lot of criticism. I think they now say "one size fits most" which is probably untrue as well, although I suppose they'd say most of their target market of teenage girls. Implication is that the wearer is the problem not the clothes.

It's a fairly rotten brand all round- I would avoid if you can.

What size are their clothes?

Target market is slim teens. Dd was such a teen and liked them for a bit. It’s good they know their market - it’s def not middle aged women that’s for sure 😂

I’m not sure why people get so annoyed with Brandy Melville. My daughter has been told she’s “fat shaming” other girls who can’t fit into it, by wearing it. Ridiculous. Yes, it’s one size (quite small), but there are plenty of other shops catering to teens. Evans, for example, which caters to larger women, excludes smaller women and yet people don’t seem to have an issue with that.

At a guess, the equivalent of 6-8, but some tops are quite stretchy so could go bigger. I tried my daughter’s joggers on and (just) fit into them at around a size 10.

Some of their clothes are actually really nice - very on trend (I don’t fit them, my daughter does!).

Dd has some of their stuff. It’s long lasting!

My DD is tall and very willowy. It’s one of the few places she can find decently priced items that suit her proportions brilliantly

There was a really interesting documentary on Brandy Melville and their marketing a couple of years back

On the other hand, it’s getting increasingly hard to actually find smaller sizes in most shops now. My DD is 20 but extremely slim. We recently went shopping and practically nowhere had smaller, size 4/6 clothing. Even 8s and 10s were hard to find. As a nation, we absolutely are getting bigger, and those that don’t fit into that category, especially younger ones, are struggling to find clothes on the high street. She ended up buying from the children’s/teen ranges.

The are not trying to be all things to all people. There's nothing wrong with that.

Each garment is made in one size, occasionally two. The size is stated. It's not, and never has been, marketed as "one size fits all". On the website individual measurements are provided, along with fabric composition and numerous photos of people wearing it, for each garment. So you can judge if the size provided will fit you.

It'll definitely be keeping costs down to make only one size per item. I'm happy with that personally and love being able to buy 100% cotton or wool for £30.

Their target demographic is slim teenage girls. If you're able to fit into their clothes then fine, if you're not then also fine. Why does every company have to include everyone? It's a bit ridiculous. If someone opens a store called Big Baddie should I go in there complaining that all the funky clothes are size 20+ and crying that I don't fit? Or if someone opens a store called Goths Unite should I go complain when I can't find any t-shirts in pastel pink? There's nothing "suspicious" about Brandy Melville not being for everyone.

DD17 loves it in there. She has so many things from that shop ( I always wait outside as it's a nightmare in there!) She is very very slim ( mainly due to having Crohn's disease) but she has always been a skinny child. Finding clothes that fit her is tough. Even shops that sell a size 6 or XS have usually got no stock left in those sizes. This is why she has to rely on Primark for basics or New Look girls range ( which makes her feel embarrassed) She sometimes gets lucky in Zara.

Trying to find a dress for her 18th birthday - all the dresses she loves are not available in a size 6.

I was in there last weekend with my daughter, who’s 28 and still wears their clothes outside of work. I think they’re decent quality for the money and have a few tops from there myself.

They are a deeply toxic company. The dicumentary is called 'Brandy hellville and the cult of fast fashion'

I wonder if perhaps these sizes replace the ancient "Miss's" size that was around in the 1950's and 60's? They were designed for a youthful body that had yet to mature. That was in the days before the current uplift in sizing had occurred.

A UK size 12 in the 1950s was significantly smaller than it is today, roughly equivalent to a modern UK size 8 or even a 6. In the 1950s, this size was typically designed for an hourglass figure with measurements close to a 32-inch (81 cm) bust, a 24-inch (61 cm) waist, and 34-inch (86 cm) hips.

My daughter loves their stuff, she’s collected bits from their London, Zurich and Malibu stores. It fits her great and looks lovely.

And when I - an old fart - went in to the Zurich shop to get her something for Christmas, the staff went out of their way to help me find it.

There’s a clip somewhere online of a girl demonstrating that one of t shirts was the exact size of a boy’s 7-8 yrs.

Yet they have millions of people - not 7 year old boys - who buy their product. Because it fits.

I am a bit horrified by sizes in places like that.... I kind of wish they'd just admit they're teen sizes, not 'women's' sizes. There wasn't any size 4 and very little 6 when I was a teen and I fear these sizes cause young teens to think they're not supposed to get any bigger than that.

@AngelsWithSilverWings solidarity, Crohn’s daughter here too.

@SunsetCocktailsthanks. It's so tough for them isn't it.

I don't know about other companies but Brandy Melville clothing isn't labelled that way, with numerical sizes. Most things are labelled XS or S. They make some M. They'll state on the website if it's a Regular fit or Oversized fit. The oversized stuff will obviously fit bigger people but not in the way it's been designed for. A lot of the regular stuff is stretchy so will also fit bigger people than the stated size.

Added to that, they give the measurements. XS in one garment isn't the same size as another garment that's also labelled XS. Sometimes the same garment will be found in separate listings on the website in different colours. The reason they're not on the same listing as a different colour option is because they're different measurements, even though they're both labelled XS and are the exact same item. You have to check the measurements or try on in store to see if something will fit.

It's very obvious they're marketing to teens, all of their models are very obviously young, they don't even look in their 20s. Nobody is thinking you don't have to get bigger than this (except perhaps people with eating disorders who will use any excuse to justify their habits).

It's not, and never has been, marketed as "one size fits all".

This is wrong, as a quick google would have revealed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brandy_Melville