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Why Premme Shutting Down is a Major Loss For The Fashion Industry

Another amazing brand bites the dust.

Premme, the plus size clothing brand created by veteran bloggers Nicolette Mason and Gabi Gregg (aka Gabi Fresh) two years ago, will be shutting down at the end of July.

Mason and Gregg made the announcement on social media this week and to say that the response was met with disappointment and sadness is an understatement.

When Premme launched in the summer of 2017, Gregg told Refinery29:

“We’re just trying to be the stand-out brand that’s really listening to the community.”

Refinery29 also wrote: “their hope is that the line will push boundaries in the plus-size space, proving to retailers that it is possible — and better yet, profitable — to be inclusive.”

And that they did. From seeing droves of plus size women (and men!) wearing their Feminist AF denim jackets and sparkly culotte jumpsuits to even us dedicating ‘Who Wore It Best‘ blog features showing influencers who took Premme pieces and made it their own.

Read more: Who Wore it Best: The Paperbag Pleat Skirt from Premme on Instagram

Items on their site quickly sold out with the site experiencing tech issues from the amount of traffic they were receiving. 

They offered up to a size 6 on their site from the start and also used different sized models up to a size 26.

The business partners told Refinery29 why they felt this was important:

Mason: “There is this insistence from retailers that like when they’ve used bigger models that the clothes don’t sell. We know that’s not true, because one of the biggest conversations among plus-sized women is ‘I don’t even know what this is going to look like on a body like mine.‘”

Gregg: “A lot of women just feel like, as plus-size women, we’re the afterthought. We’re thrown in the back of a store or a brown box and not given the thought that we would like, so we want to change all of that and from top to bottom.

That willingness to be truly inclusive in sizing and representation is rare in an industry where many brands think going up to a size 24 is inclusive

This is why Premme shutting down is a major loss for the fashion industry. 

They truly were setting the tone for what we’re seeing now in the fashion industry… major retailers are extending their size ranges, eager to cash in on a $21 billion market that has potential to reach $60 billion by 2020. These retailers not only want to offer plus sizes, but also desire to be viewed as inclusive and body positive. 

We’re still in the midst of that change and educating those brands on what being size inclusive truly means. And Premme did their part by not being afraid to offer above a size 24 and showing its clothing on an array of different shapes and sizes.

That clothing wasn’t matronly and it allowed plus size women above a size 24 to wear bold, statement pieces that showcased color, interesting fabrics and on-trend silhouettes. Their pieces were unique and not something you’d find on a rack or on a retailer’s website.

The two powerhouses did say they were pursuing new adventures so we can’t wait to see what’s next for them. 

What are your thoughts on Premme shutting down? You can scoop up some pieces on sale here before they close for good. 

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