Style Not Size TikTokers Team Up With Macy’s – WWD

In an ongoing effort to increase size coverage, Macy’s teamed up with Denise Mercedes and Maria Castellanos on social media to create limited-edition glasses.

The couple is widely known for their viral #StyleNotSize TikTok and Instagram video. Mercedes, who wore a size 14, and Castellanos, who wore a size 6, filmed themselves dancing in similar styles. With Macy’s, they created a Style Not Size collection for Jenni (Macy’s private label.)

Mercedes and Castellanos started working together three years ago, when the latter was a photographer for Mercedes. After the photoshoot, Mercedes said she suggested they pose for a photo together wearing the same bikini style “as a nice way to show the same swimsuit on different body types” and to encourage body positivity. Once posted on social media, the positive feedback inspired them to post more videos with similar but different styles and then expand on TikTok.

Joining TikTok about two years ago, Mercedes wasn’t sure what to post at first. She decided to combine her fashion ideas from Instagram and stream them into TikTok to showcase her favorite styles. Then Mercedes also got Castellanos involved, about six months later. After posting their first video together early last year, their body-accepting message gained attention. “Seeing two different bodies wearing the same thing is a reminder to everyone that you don’t have to be a certain size to wear a particular style,” says Mercedes.

While some fashion designers like Christian Siriano, Brandon Maxwell, and Prabal Gurung have championed the all-encompassing body, some of the more mainstream brands have done so with fit and start. Nike, H&M and Walmart are among the big brands that have ramped up their offering to people wearing clothes size 14 and up. And newcomers like Universal Standard have grown the consumer base for the essentials including its size. There’s a substantial amount of business for everyone – the larger international market is a more than $178 billion entity and 4.3% annual growth is expected through 2028, according to the report. Acute Market Research.

A relationship the Style Not Size creators forged with Abercrombie & Fitch on Instagram and Tik Tok helped capture Macy’s attention and led to the emergence of sunglasses. Three drops are planned.

Focusing on the premise that “it’s really about your style, not about your size, when it comes to fashion,” says Castellanos, “We really wanted the world of fashion to include size. . When we think about tears, it’s really thinking about everyone out there. All women have insecurities and what not. ”

Although the two women don’t know how many of their first collection with Abercrombie & Fitch sold, they do say they’ve sold more than $250,000 in products through their links and shared codes. surname. “Everything has been sold out. Not a single one left,” said Mercedes, adding that they receive a commission based on the items sold.

That was taken into account, says Castellanos, with the design of the sunglasses being equally comfortable and pleasing to the eye. Materials, fabrics and designs were chosen for the update, because “the fashion industry tends to do things very basic for many sizes.”

Offered in sizes XS to XXL and plus sizes 0X to 3X, grading ranges from $34.50 to $59.50. The first sale launches December 27 on Macy’s and at select stores. Magnifiers can be worn in sets or in mix-and-match styles for relaxing at home or away. Low-rise pants feature a corset at the waist for a more flattering effect, and cutout accent bras and oversized cardigans are among these styles.

Have a plan for a variety of social media posts whether it’s a demo or a showcase of scope to get consumers excited. Personally, the couple said they prefer to shop online because they tend to have a wider range of sizes than in stores. However, online options can also be limited. “Every woman out there is human and we are all different shapes and sizes. We really worked hard to find the perfect pieces to showcase for Style Not Size,” said Castellanos.

She says that sometimes she needs a size six or a size eight to make shopping easier. “I wanted my friend and many other women to be able to walk into a store and let it be their size,” she said. For example, Asos offers both plus and standard size options, up to size 14. However, sometimes when the duo posts pictures of themselves wearing Asos outfits, followers might post words Critics note that the standard size stops at 14 and question why they advertise standard sized styles.

Concluding the interview, Castellanos noted that the series isn’t for everyone to “choose one over the other. It’s really here to empower women and let them feel beautiful and in control, not to be judged or diminished. We take great pride in Style Not Size and we love watching every other woman’s Style Not Size videos. ”