The Impact of the Incorporation of Body Size Inclusivity on Brand Response: Case Study on H&M Consumers

Abstract

The fashion industry has endorsed unattainable beauty standards for years through them glorifying an idealistic image of tallness and thinness which has been reinforced through the utilisation of thin models in media and through the limited shapes and sizes of clothing being produced for women. This unattainable portrayal has contributed to numerous women’s negative self-images as part of a downward comparison. With the recent slow shift towards body appreciation and representation of different shapes and sizes in media, the quantitative study focuses on investigating the relationship between the incorporation of body size inclusivity by a fashion brand and the brand response it receives from its customers which directly affects the customerbased brand equity. Through the use of an online survey questionnaire that allowed for the data to be collected across South Africa, it was found that female H&M consumers, who are between the ages of 21 and 35 that live in South Africa, would positively respond to body size inclusive fashion brands as they have positive feelings and judgements about them. The study academically adds knowledge around the new phenomenon body size inclusivity and contributes to the customers’ desires and perceptions context in fashion diversity studies which is limited.