Last week, Savage x Fenty released its super-sultry, love-inspired Valentine's Day collection. At first it was well received, given that most things related to Rihanna are straight fire, but upon further inspection, plus-size customers felt somewhat cheated.
In a recent tweet, fashion blogger Alysse Dalessandro (@ReadyToStare) criticized the brand for offering drastically different design options in the straight and plus-size collections. While Savage x Fenty does a better job than many other brands out there (*cough* Victoria's Secret *cough*) at providing an inclusive range of lingerie, there's always room to improve. And Dalessandro is one of the leaders of the cause.
Dalessandro tweeted side-by-side shots of the most advertised "Hearts" bralette, one in straight sizes and one in plus sizes. The styles are listed separately on the Savage x Fenty website.
It's easy to see that the two styles are completely different. The straight-size bralette is strappy and revealing, while the plus-size bralette has more coverage and less detail. "I know you can do strappy bralettes in plus, so why do brands do this?" Dalessandro asked her followers.
While many of her followers quickly agreed with Dalessandro's critiques of the brand, others fought back. So, she provided proof.
She offered a few examples from Cacique's intimates collection, each with strappy detailing on the front, like this red, lacy number.
To further her point, she provided examples from plus-size retailer Torrid as well.
This underwire bralette from Torrid is almost the same design as the Savage x Fenty straight-size "Hearts" bralette. In other words: It can be done.
She added that she understood there were more styles to choose from, but these were the main product shots and there's a huge discrepancy in design.
"I realize that thereās more images and more items on the site than these two. Like I said, Iāve reviewed their pieces before and I liked it. This was a comparison of the two main product shots and a question about why they couldnāt have made the plus version more strappy," Dalessandro explained to her followers.
Beyond the designs, she pointed followers to a thread from @LoveThyself365Ā that explains Savage x Fenty's major sizing issues as well.
LaKeisha Shurn,Ā a.k.a. @LoveThyself365, dives deeper into the brand's lack of inclusive sizing. She compares Savage x Fenty's bralettes in size 3X to Torrid's size 18/20 and the former is comically smaller.
Shurn added that the size chart, or lack there of, is hella problematic.
Clearly theĀ size guide on Savage x Fenty's website is not truthful. It claims a 3X is a size 20ā22, but comparison photos to Torrid's size 18ā20 show it much smaller. And this is the largest size the brand offers. Additionally, the measurements listed in theĀ size guide are hard to understand.
Dalessandro drove that point home further, adding that the brand does not cater to fuller busts at all.
"Savage x Fenty is NOT a full bust brand, so I wouldnāt expect this style to fit someone who is a bigger than a DDD at any band size. Also there are smaller busted plus-size babes. You can be a B or C cup and be plus which a lot of folks seem to be missing here," she explained.
Her followers agreed and took things to the next level, saying that while they appreciate the brand trying to cater to bigger sizes, it's selling two different kinds of sexy.
"These are two veryyyy different types of sexy being sold," user @jillmacintyre wrote, comparing images from the site of straight size vs. plus-size styles.
One follower said the lukewarm plus-size versions of straight-size styles really grind her gears.
"Honestly how hard is it for them to go up several sizes?" she wrote. And she has a point. If other brands can do it, why can't Savage x Fenty?
Lingerie company Curvy Couture answered, showing more inclusive bra designs are possible.
"From experience it is possible to make a supportive strappy bra. It just takes longer to perfect the fit for small band large cups & large bands with small cups," it wrote.
Savage x Fenty actually responded to Dalessandro's criticism as well, thanking her for her feedback.
The brand hasn't given any further comments on the issue.
Needless to say, Dalessandro isn't the only plus-size babe to notice the brand's faults. Ashleigh ofĀ AshleighChubbyBunnyĀ on Instagram has also been speaking out about the brand's inconsistencies.
"I have been calling out this brand for this since it dropped last year," Ashleigh wrote to her followers.
But despite its flaws, it's worth noting that Savage x Fenty is still taking more strides to be inclusive than many other popular brands.
"It's possible to like something and still have feedback on how it could be better," Dalessandro told her followers.
Let's hope the brand takes note of its inconsistencies and works to make improvements.
After all, if you aren't catering to everyone, you aren't *truly* inclusive.
