H&M Enlists Supermodel Tess Holliday To Bring Extended-Size Clothing To Stores

H&M is continuously working to extend its sizes, and it turns out it has had some help. The fashion retailer has been collaborating with none other than body-positive model and activist Tess Holliday to roll out more inclusive options.

Today, shoppers at H&M’s US stores will be able to find clothing in sizes up to 2XL, up from just XL previously. Online, the options are even more expansive—pieces can now go up to 4XL for women and 3XL for men.

Holliday has been assisting H&M behind the scenes as its size and inclusivity consultant since August 2022, and now the secret’s out. According to Vogue, she had no idea if the public would ever find out about her role.

Leaning into her personal and industry experience as a plus-size woman, the model has shared her knowledge with the brand to ensure it is “equipped with the tools, information, education, and support” to improve its inclusivity efforts, H&M explains in a press release. She has been involved in decisions relating to everything from design to product development, marketing, and communications.

Donna Dozier Gordon, H&M’s head of inclusion and diversity for the Americas, says H&M views inclusion as “a business imperative.”

“H&M’s evolution and progress on extended sizing reflects our commitment and focuses on challenges faced, progress made, and more progress to come,” Gordon elaborates.

As a result of their partnership, H&M has also updated its website to prioritize search tabs for its broader size assortment.

Before being its consultant, Holliday had been in a number of H&M campaigns, including one with pieces that didn’t go up to her size. Frustrated, she urged the company to come up with ways to acknowledge all body types.

Not only did H&M work on the problem, “they invested in it,” Holliday tells Vogue.

Holliday is glad to share that the 4XL garments fit “like an actual 4X.”

Notably, there is no “fat tax” on H&M’s plus-size clothing, and it shares the same pricing as straight-size wear.

The model says she’s hopeful for a future where diversity is normalized in fashion campaigns, rather than projected in a performative way.

[via Vogue and FashionUnited, images via H&M / PR Newswire]