Brandy Melville is having a moment in the United States. Brandy Melville is an Italian brand that set up stateside five years ago. It makes cheap, on-trend clothes for teen girls. Kind of like a Supre or a Cotton On here in Australia.
But Brandy Melville has a very disturbing strategy that makes them incredibly popular: They create an allure of exclusivity by only selling one size. That size is called ‘One size fits most’. It actually only fits an American 0 – 2, which is an Australian 4 – 6.
So basically, Brandy Melville is a clothing store for very petite and very slim teenage girls and absolutely nobody else.
Take a look at a few pics from their Instagram:
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#brandyusa #sandiego 4516 Mission Blvd. PB View on Instagram
The Brandy Melville shopper is clearly very, very thin. As teenage fashion blogger Justina Sharp was quoted in The Huffington Post:
“It’s an exclusivity thing: Congratulations, you fit in the clothes! Join the club. There will always be the girls who will try to squeeze into it. They’ll do whatever they can to fit in Brandy Melville.”
Now, it could be argued that there’s nothing technically wrong with a company selling whatever products they would like. They can (and in Australia, as those who shop at Kookai can attest), often do. Let them only stock one tiny size! we say. They’ll never sell anything!
But Brandy Melville is thriving. According to Business Insider, it’s ranked No. 1. among teen girls in the US. In other words, Brandy Melville is hot right now.
And teenage girls in the United States are feeling like they don’t measure up. Take a look:
Brandy Melville are obviously free to sell whatever, to whomever, they would like. But just because you can get by only stocking size 6 for teenage girls, doesn’t mean it’s right.
The coolest teen store in the US only stocking size 6 sends out a scary message:
If you’re body doesn’t look like this, we can’t be bothered with you.
Do you think it’s wrong that Brandy Melville only stocks a very small size?
Top Comments
As a teen/ young adult I struggled to find clothes that fit properly. I was really slim. It was embarrassing to go into a clothing shop and have even the smallest sizes look too big on. I think there is a demographic needing well fitted, fashionable, small clothes. Bigger girls can go to any regular store. I don't see the problem, wish they had it when I was a teen!
Shock horror, they have a demographic, healthy eaters that exercise.