The average American woman is now a size 14 and her bra size is 36C, up from a size 12 in 2005 and a 34B in 2000. This may be disheartening to some, but there is a sliver of good news—she's buying better bras and it's all thanks to Oprah!
In 2005, Oprah started doing segments addressing women's lack of knowledge about bra size and fit. Bra manufacturers took notice and realized they were ignoring an important segment of society—plus-sized women. Now, the plus-sized undergarment industry can rake in $3.2 billion in sales annually, and manufacturers are rapidly increasing their product offerings. Frederick’s of Hollywood president Linda LoRe says:
We made a conscious effort over the past four to five years to build the plus-size and full-figure [bra and corset] business because of the plus-size customer’s loyalty factor. This customer wants to be treated the same as a woman who wears an A- or B-cup bra. She wants fashion colors, pretty fabrics and patterns and seasonal bras and lingerie.
We're not surprised about Oprah's effect on the plus-size industry, given that her influence in other areans is well-documented. What we want to know is if anyone has ever quantified Oprah's contribution to the American economy!
No comments:
Post a Comment