November 2009

Okay, I was hoping to avoid this because up until this writing it has been a one sided “fight” as Eileen Fisher has not commented (and I don’t suspect she will) but here’s the problem:  I can see in my stats for this site what brings people here in the first place and a lot of people have come to affinityfashion.com as the result of my original post: Leave Eileen Fisher Alone and if I left the story there I would only be telling half of it . . .

So, for those of you who may not know:  In a nutshell Rosie O’Donnell used to be a big fan of Eileen Fisher until she actually met the designer.  According to Rosie (via her Sirius Radio Show):

She told Fisher about how much stress she’d felt trying to find clothing that flattered her figure and told her: “On behalf of every plus-sized woman in the world, I just want to thank you.”  Rosie claims, Eileen Fisher replied that an association with plus-size clothing was “just not the image that we’re going for.”

And Rosie’s response via her Radio Show and Blog was to claim she has “broken up” with Fisher.

Rosie In A Fisher Jacket "Pre-Breakup" on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm

Now, again – I didn’t originally write about this because Fisher has had no comment and to be perfectly honest: I think it’s being a bit overblown.  I have been in the plus size market for several years and as a result I hear various stories, opinions, etc. on the industry in general and the plus size market in particular and one of the opinions is that there is a stigma attached to “plus size only” brands and I mentioned this in the post I did about the Demise of Spencer Alexis.   According to my sources Spencer Alexis branched out into the Missy and Petite Market because they didn’t want to be be pegged as “only a plus size brand” – well now they’re an out of business brand.

Now, as to whether or not the stigma attached to “plus size only brands” tends to be true or not:  I can see both sides.  As I’ve already written in the past here:

Maybe that’s true for like 5% of the women I know but for the other 95% – if it is attractive, if it is good quality and reasonably priced they won’t care if it’s “only a plus size” brand they will buy it.

And I still think that BUT, be honest – when you are wearing something and someone says: “Oh, I love your jacket!  Who makes it?”  What are you going to feel better saying:

A) Catherines (Who Only Does Plus Sizes)   OR    B) Caroline Rose (Who Does All Sizes)

And fashion is all about looking and feeling good.

Would plus size women continue to proudly exclaim they’re wearing Rachel Pally and paying in the neighborhood of $250 for a Rachel Pally Dress if she solely shifted to plus sizes and ceased making missy sizes?  I’m sorry, but I don’t think so.

So while Eileen Fisher’s reply may not have been the most tactful reply in the world I really don’t have a problem with it.   I can’t think of any designer who manufacturers for all markets (missy, plus & petite) who would tell you the plus size woman is the image they’re going for but they also wouldn’t tell you they were going for the petite (read: petite as in short not petite as in skinny minny) market either.

It is my hope that designers such as Anna Scholz will change the impression that a “plus size only brand” isn’t a brand women would be proud to wear and therefore can’t be seen as fashionable and/or fabulous but that day my friends, is not here yet I’m afraid.

Thoughts and comments on this are most welcome!

Tagged as: Plus Size Eileen Fisher