Hey Delights!
Ashley Stewart has dropped 2 new holiday collections. One curated by The Real talk show co star and comedian, Loni Love. And the latest dropped today featuring a partnership with the Kendall + Kylie brand.
Per James Rhee, Chairman and CEO of Ashley Stewart, “Ashley Stewart’s core mission has always been to advocate for women, which includes providing her with equal access to the fashion styles they love, so we’re proud to be the brand to launch Kendall + Kylie’s first ever inclusively sized collection to the Ashley Stewart family and our ever expanding community base.”
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When Ashley Stewart posted about the collab on Instagram, initially there weren’t a lot of comments. Today things are heating up and there is definitely some backlash. Most of it stemming from the obvious fact that neither Kendall nor Kylie Jenner are anywhere near plus size. And of course the usual backlash just about the Kardashian/Jenner family in general.
- @lovelyleo08 – Ashley w(o)nt be getting any of my money on that collaboration
- @thee_jakidee – Empties cart.
- @soniabmua – No thanks will never support this
- @grits_since_69 – The both of them together aren’t plus size but they have a collection. No thank you.
- @iammillya247 Who came up with this marketing tactic 😔🤦🏾♀️it’s not like there is a shortage of PLUS SIZE INFLUENCERS who could have created something with the support of A.S….there is NOTHING plus size about them and ugh…yeah I’m out ✌🏾
- @_tashiarenee – Why haven’t Kendall and Kylie publicized this?? I ain’t heard either one say anything all I see is Kylie Christmas collection for her makeup brand
- @daaangdasia – Beautiful clothing but I am having trouble receiving this. Neither one of them posted about it. I feel like they are trying to get richer off my plus size dollars. I hope our feedback is taken into consideration. I loooove me some @byashleystewart. I have spent much money with this company over the years and order my birthday outfit as well as other bomb pieces from here all the time. I highly doubt I’ll be supporting this collaboration but I will continue to shop the other AS pieces.
There is also a deeper feeling of betrayal being expressed by some.
- @sherorising – To all my plus size queens … plus do not support this. Non plus size celebrities … who have never been plus size, who have no clue of our struggles should not be attempting to profit from our double digit dollars. I have been rocking with Ashley Stewart clothing since I was 19 … I am ashamed that this brand would do this … there are so many plus size influencers that the brand could of worked with, shame on you.
- @nofearinfinance – This is really sad
But there is also support for the move, like from plus models like Tiffany Flamer aka “Tiff The Fashion Slayer” who was the 2018 face of the brand.
- @tiffythefashionslayer – I’m the 2018 face of Ashley Stewart and we all have opinions that’s what makes us unique, but when I found out that @byashleystewart was doing a collab with Kylie and Kendall I was hype! We always talk about high end brands not being size inclusive or they never have things in sizes for plus woman and when we get it, it’s a problem? I guess this is like the people being mad when Nike started selling plus size and people were saying they were supporting obesity. I think it’s brilliant that @kendallandkylie GET IT and understand that the average woman in America is NOW between the sizes of 16-18 , so what clothing line wouldn’t want to offer clothing is sizes of the average woman? If they are smart they would. They want their coins to come from everyone and I’m here for it !
- @bellabombshel – I love AS so much and all they do for women I’ve seen them help so many with scholarships and building confidence for so many I support all Collabs as they always have supported me I’m excited I can’t wait
And there is also support from other women who are loving the looks.
- @dakotahshari – Yes!!!! Let me get my sparkle on!
- @marj.beee Y’all bringing all the heat lately sheesh😍♥️
- @me_myself_and_no_one_else – These are so cute. Ppl be to deep about stuff. Either buy it or don’t🤔
- @leaderofthecoolmoms Okayyyyy yall not playing huh? Yall bringing some heat this season
Personally I am surprised but only because of who they chose. Not because they chose a non plus brand. I felt the Lala collaboration was odd but this just takes it to an entirely different level. And obviously this is not the first time that a plus size brand has collaborated with a non plus brand. Eloquii did it with Draper James, the Reese Witherspoon brand. They did not offer plus sizes prior to the collaboration although they do now. And I think that collaboration was welcomed mainly because of who it was from and partly because of the unique aesthetic.
I have always been a fan of Ashley Stewart’s mix of around the way girl, urban woman vibe. But this collaboration and the reason behind it just feels off.
The press release states that, “after months of collective product development, the teams have meticulously sized the Kendall + Kylie items to embrace the curves of the Ashley Stewart woman”. There will be 3 drops through the new year sold only online via Ashley Stewart. The pieces they just dropped are cute but frankly nothing new and they definitely do not look any more “high end” than what Ashley Stewart normally offers.
I am an advocate for plus size women. I believe brands can work towards inclusion without alienating plus size women by latching on to brands that plus size women can’t relate to. And to be clear, I am also a fan of the business acumen that the Kardashian/Jenner clan have and I actually like them in general. But as others mentioned, there are so many brands/people that Ashley Stewart could have collaborated with. So I just wish that the forces behind Ashley Stewart would have gone deeper and considered what this might feel like for some of their audience.
And if the Kendall + Kylie brand was so keen on getting into “curvy” fashion, which is how it is being pushed, why didn’t they just do it via their own brand? Their reach is definitely much larger than Ashley Stewart’s. Doing so could have had a way bigger impact. Instead now it looks like a bit of pandering and like it was just for the money.
What say you? Are you here for the Ashley Stewart x Kendall + Kylie Collection?
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