A Negative Day for the Plus Market: Harrods Closes Its Plus-Size Department
Starting this month, Harrods department store is closing its plus-size clothing department. It is a sad day indeed. Harrods was the last upscale department store in London to carry designer plus-size womenswear of a quality and calibre that many curvy women had come to rely on.
It’s sad for Anna Scholz as a company, of course. We have enjoyed doing business with Harrods for the past 12 years. Our collections have always sold extremely well there too. There obviously is a huge demand. So who decided to close the doors to many curvy shoppers?
But this shut-down is also a sad comment on retailers’ priorities. With Selfriges having closed its plus department several years ago, and now Harrods doing the same, I am wondering if our high-end department stores don’t value their plus-size customer. It seems like madness to exclude 47% of the population from the opportunity to spend money in your store. This customer not only buys clothes but accessories, perfume, cosmetics…take away clothes and you alienate them on all levels. Every woman deserves to have choice and to dress fashionably!
Harrods Puts the Red Light on Retail for Curvy Shoppers
With the rise of curvy models in the media, we are moving a step up. It’s strange, then, that exactly at this time our shopping options are becoming even more limited.
In the meantime, support the shops that are standing firm and catering to your size or visit my web shop at www.annascholz.com.
—Anna
15 Comments
Did they give you a reason??? It seems like such a poor business decision that I am curious as to what their reasoning was?
This is more disappointing than I can say, especially after Saks expanded its plus line!
This isn’t good at all 🙁
I am beyond pissed off! My mom and I travel to London a few times a year and Harrods was the best place for her to find nice clothes. What’s left now? A few brands at John Lewis but not many choice. She has the money, where is she supposed to spend it now?
Also everytime I went there, there were lots of Middle East ladies shopping in this section. Did they forget who their customers are?
OMG I am really angry!
Yes, sad indeed yet in March I was a bit disappointed when I saw it was located in the very last corner of the ladies fashion floor next to a wall which definitely needed painting urgently. Looked like they were not too proud about their plus sizes anyway and din’t really want their plus size customers feel all too well!
It’s a pity fashion doesn’t contribute to the fact that nature allows small rabbits and big ones, slim rabbits and rotund ones, white rabbits and black ones and those with long fur or short hair 🙂
Anke – In July all the sale racks were in that part and I think they were working on a swimwear section hence the walls etc BUT a little further there was already a gorgeous setting with Fall/Winter collection by Rinaldi (I think). So I don’t really get why they are stopping. I really can’t get over this. lol
But seriously the previous year the plus size department was always well-done I think and the ladies who work there were always very friendly and ready to help. Let’s hope they won’t go when the department is being shut off.
Val – I just heard (on a kids fashion show) that a lot of the luxury departement stores in Germany have financial problems … so who knows?
As long as I can order my favourite dresses from Anna’s webshop I don’t mind … but gosh, some sizes sell out faster than I can click onto my newsletter link 🙂
Absolutely shocking decision by Harrods. My money not good enough!!!! Thank goodness for the Anna Scholz website, but some sizes do sell quickly I agree.
The problem is that plus-size clothes, especially quality plus-size clothes, are too expensive in places like Harrods.
I don’t know a lot of people who can afford to buy a polyester top for 250 pounds. Either small or big. Even designers like Cavalli, Gucci were affected by the crisis and had to lower their prices. The difference is that a small woman can shop anywhere. She can buy designer clothes – if she has the money – or she can find designer clothes over the internet for a much cheaper price, she can visit Milan for example and purchase designer clothes from outlets etc. And of course, she can shop from the high street. There are so many options.
The fall in demand has first affected the plus-size sector. On the one hand, the small woman might buy a 250 pound top if she can afford it but this purchase would feed her vanity. She would wear a famous designer and all women would be jealous of her. The plus-size woman would buy the 250 pound top at Harrods, which of course is by a X designer that none of the slim-world knows. This is the big difference. On the other hand, the plus-size woman would visit Harrods’ plus-size department out of need. The small woman has countless options. As a result, there are more bargains in the regular department and demand is higher
What I am trying to say is that unless designers or shops or megastores reduce their prices, the demand will be low. They can of course survive on having a small and executive clientèle and that’s fine. But not every plus-size woman will be happy. I’ve been living in London for ten years now and I have never shopped from Harrods. I just can’t afford it although I am a well-paid company executive. At the end of the day how many polyester tunics can a plus-size girl have. I prefer to visit the US or order my clothes over the internet and trust me I find high-quality clothes that are also trendy and elegant.
I visit the Anna Scholz shop often but haven’t bought yet. As said earlier, although the clothes are great, I am too little (poor) for them.
How absolutley silly of Harrods! It was the one of the few good places in the UK for plus size! And with the advent of the Marc Jacobs bringing in plus sizes! How silly of them!!
This is bonkers. Although Manchester based I have often combined a business trip to London with a journey to Harrods to visit their plus size dept. I never emerge without buying something.
Last Saturday I went to see the 4 brands that they have maintained and was disappointed. Although they are nicely situated by the champagne bar, the overwhelming impression was that of highly priced dowdy clothes with little flair or panache. There was one top that was a possible but on further examination the largest size in this was 18. By mixing standard lines with more generously sized ones they are further adding to the disappointment experienced by curvy women when searching for beautiful, flattering clothes.
The joy of the former dept was that there was something there for everyone. Now the stock is so limited, and my favourite brands are missing so it is not worth my journey any more. Shame.
It’s the same story all over the uk…. Plus size women are treat like second class citizens… It would never happen in USA …. So disappointed in Harrods
I am a yo-yo woman but always can rely on Harrods for what I need you sold casual clothes and the perfect glamorous clothing for special occasions.
Perhaps I can hope for something to change your mind.
Yours Pattie Gosling
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