Bigger Kids Want to Dress Cool, Too

Posted on June 23, 2008 
Filed Under fashion news

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Merrill Guerra of Ypsilanti, Mich., used to despair when buying clothes for her overweight daughter Gabi, now 11. Older children’s sizes that fit Gabi’s torso would be too long in the pant legs and shirtsleeves, and the styles were often too sexy for a young girl. “When I talked to other girlfriends, I realized I was not alone in my frustrations,” Guerra says. So she decided to form RealKidz, a plus-sized clothing company for girls ages 5 to 12. She started selling capris, leggings, and T-shirts online in May and plans to roll out a back-to-school line this August.

Guerra is tapping into one of the hottest areas of retail: fashion for overweight kids. The $6.2 billion market in plus-sized children’s clothes is proving to be as lucrative as the clothing market for overweight adults. Together, sales are expected to grow 41% by 2012, according to market research firm Packaged Facts. With overall clothing sales in a funk, established brands such as Lands’ End, J.C. Penney (JCP), and Old Navy are competing with a growing number of specialty retailers to expand their offerings for “plus” and “husky” junior customers. More…

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