Target Announces Plus-Size Fashion Line & Closes Canada Stores

Fashion Bloggers model Target’s Ava & Viv, line which will offer sizes from 14W to 26W

Target made headlines last week with two announcements. In consideration of complaints from fashion bloggers about the lack of plus-sizes in Target’s fashion collaborations (Phillip Lim for Target & Altuzzara for Target), Target has announced a new plus-size only line called Ava & Viv. The new line will offer casual fashions in sizes 14W to 26W and X to 4X.  This may not silence the outcry over the lack of plus sizes in Target’s name brand designer budget lines, but it’s a step in the right direction.  The Plus-size market is the largest growing market in fashion today, so it’s a market that Target should offer apparel to if the chain wants to grow their fashion business.   However, from a glance at the lookbook for Ava & Viv, this lines is  not of the same caliber or design of the designer collabs Target has been doing.  Don’t expect more than  tops,  palazzo pants and some chambray  & knit dresses.  There’s nothing fashion forward here—just basic casual fare.   Some plus-size shoppers are already expressing disappointment about the blandness of the Ava & Viv lookbook.  At the same time the brand is investing in the Plus-size woman’s fashion market, the budget retailer announced they are closing their stores in Canada. 

Ava and Vivi will be available in Target stores Feb 22, 2015.

Target’s decision to close their Canadian stores after poor sales in Canada, should allow the brand to reinvest and bolster other areas of their business in the US.   According to Slate, Target  is closing their stores in Canada,  because their ” understocked, uninviting stores .. couldn’t even compete on price with Walmart, which began offering discounts to undercut its rival. Target seems to have realized that with all the damage already done, it wasn’t going to recover.”

As Canadian stores close , the new line of plus-size fashions will arrive in Target store mid-February.  The Ava & Viv collection will be updated monthly, with prices ranging from $10 to $80.  It will be interesting to see how Ava & Viv does with consumers.   In my opinion, Target would do better to just offer the same designs in the Mossimo & Merona lines, as well as their designer collaborations, in plus-sizes.   Woman who wear special sizes and want fashionable wear might do better to shop the upcoming Lela Rose for Lane Bryant collection, which looks much more attractive than Ava & Viv.