Witchery is an Australian women’s fashion brand that has been popular since its founding in South Australia in 1970. It now operates nationwide under its parent company, Country Road, but has been copping Woke stick because of its decision to drop size XXXL (size 20) from its latest fashion range.
One angry customer has responded to what she termed Witchery’s ‘active step AWAY from size inclusivity’ by saying she will be ‘shopping elsewhere’ whilst a body positivity and acceptance advocate described ‘the lack of size and skin colour diversity’ as ‘disappointing’ and favouring only ‘slim, white women’ (because race has to be brought into everything in this Age of Woke). Well, at least that makes some sort of change from sticking the Woke boot into white men, I suppose.
Witchery have responded that size 20s were only a very tiny proportion of total sales (the average Australian woman wears a size 14 to 16 and stores like Witchery actually sell most of their stock for sizes 4-8), and so the company made a business decision to no longer stock the size. Witchery, unsurprisingly, makes what sells profitably. They are not a social service.
There are also other shopping options available through fashion brands which carry sizes 6-26, not to mention specialty, ‘plus size’ clothing manufacturers who cater specifically to 18+. We are seeing the market at work and perhaps the body positivity and fat acceptance movements should accept this.
Instead, the outcry has been furious and unmindful of the basic economics of production in the retail industry. Poor old corporations – if they decide to religiously obey Woke commandments from the holy DEI Bible, their core customer base revolts (Bud Light, for example) but if they disobey one of the DEI ‘rules’, they cop a pile-on in legacy and social media from niche ideological furies.
The activists’ lack of self-awareness is remarkable.
Lord knows I am no oil painting, and men really don’t need to give a toss about their fashion choices, but at least I’m aware of it and am doing my best to manage what is my responsibility, and mine alone, and not resorting to any fashionable excuse like lack of ‘diversity’ or ‘exclusion’ or ‘racism’ by ‘slim white’ people. (Where do petite Asian women fit in the Victim/Oppressor clothing hierarchy?) The boring old trinity of eating less, eating better, and moving more remains the way to live a longer and healthier life.
‘Body positive’? I’m positive a healthy woman’s body should not be XXXL.
