The clothing chain Monki is in full swing after its latest move. On Instagram, the comments are pouring in from angry customers who say they can no longer shop there.
On the chain’s website, it still says that they sell clothes up to size XXL, and trousers up to size 52.
However, they have stopped doing that. Now the sizes only go up to XL and 34.
MyFashion have previously mentioned this.
– After reviewing and assessing our size selection, we decided to reduce it due to low demand, says communications manager Nadine Schmidt at Monki to TV 2.
LOW DEMAND: Monki says they don’t sell enough of the largest sizes. Photo: Gorm Røseth / TV 2
– Have done something crazy
Youtuber and influencer Malin Nesvoll has previously written an article about how it is difficult to find cool clothes for larger bodies.
– The first thought that struck me was the feeling that things are going the wrong way, says Nesvoll to TV 2.
She says she was not aware that Monki carried larger sizes, despite the fact that she keeps a close eye on who does.
– Then I think they have done something crazy with marketing. I would have been there on the day and bought trousers, if I had known.
COOL CLOTHES: Malin Nesvoll calls for cooler clothes in large sizes, and thinks Monki could offer it. Photo: Espen Solli / TV 2
Nesvoll calls for better marketing of the large sizes, if Monki believes that demand is too low.
– Fair enough that they have had advertising posters with some diversity, but you have never seen the biggest girls there. And the biggest clothes never hang at the front of the store.
Concerned about the development
Influencer Sara Emilie Tandberg, who has her own clothing brand, is also disappointed by Monki’s choice.
– I get puffy while I read, and feel how much it hurts that such large store chains with great influence choose to go “backwards” in time, writes Tandberg in an Instagram post that TV 2 has been allowed to quote.
Nesvoll believes that there has been a positive development in terms of the inclusion of larger bodies in recent years. Now, however, she is worried that the trend is about to reverse.
– It’s not just because of Monki, but now it’s kind of trendy to be thin again. I fear a little for the future of “plus size fashion” in Norway.
Among other things, she points to the term “heroin chic”, which idealises very thin bodies, which has flared up on TikTok, among other things.
I think there is money to be made
Mari Mette Graff, head of the National Association for the Overweight, is not surprised to hear that Monki is cutting sizes.
She believes that appearing inclusive and concerned with diversity is popular among many companies, such as Monki, without it always being followed up in practice.
BIG MARKET: Mari-Mette Graff in the National Association for the Obese believes there is an underexplored market for clothes in large sizes. Photo: Markus Furnes / TV 2
– If you don’t sell clothes that can also accommodate large bodies, how diverse are you then, says Graff to TV 2.
– Can you understand that Monki cuts it out if it doesn’t sell well enough?
– That there should not be demand I cannot understand at all, all the while half of Norway’s population is overweight or obese, says Graff.
She believes there should be money to be made from investing in the market for larger clothing.
– It is strange that they do not work more targeted towards what is a large customer group. Without investing, you can’t get a return either, says Graff.
– Promise to change your mind
Graff believes that the offer of clothes in larger sizes has improved, but that there is still a lot to do.
– It often requires that you live in a city, and the clothes don’t always have the best fit. It is also not always easy to get hold of clothes that fit a large body of normal height, she says.
For the clothing chain Monki, whose target audience is children and young people, Graff believes there is an additional responsibility.
– The feeling of being left out is painful, and can contribute to a poor self-image and relationship with the body. It’s not good at all, because you have to live with your body every day.
Graff concludes with a clear appeal to Monki:
– You are allowed to change your mind.
– Works with testing and learning
TV 2 has asked Monki several questions, including what they think about the reactions, and whether they will consider taking in the largest sizes again.
They respond in a general statement.
– We are always working to test, learn, adjust and refine our range – to give our customers the best possible experience and fashion collections, says communications manager Schmidt.
– Monki always stands for diversity, equality and inclusion, and we rest on the basis of these values that have guided us from the very beginning.