Torrid Slammed for Campaign That Doesn't Include 'A Single Plus-Sized Body'

Videos and comments have criticized the "plus-size clothing" fashion brand Torrid after its latest campaign was launched.

The brand announced Festi, a Y2K-inspired collection, in a video shared on TikTok that featured models wearing the clothes.

It drew swift criticism from viewers who pointed out that the campaign did not include a variety of body shapes and sizes.

According to Statista, the average women's dress size is 16 to 18, and the market for plus-size apparel in 2020 was valued at $24 billion.

"Many fashion brands are still using only mid-sized models to represent plus-size fashion which many consumers hope changes, so their body types can be represented positively in fashion and media," the organization said.

The video that Torrid posted on TikTok cycled through a number of outfits worn by models of a similar size.

Viewers took to the comments section to voice their disappointment.

"Wow I don't see myself represented here at all," a viewer wrote.

"I'm actually getting mad about the [crickets] from Torrid on this," another viewer wrote. "We have other options now."

"Damn if only I knew how this would look on a body without a flat stomach, guess I'll never know cause now I refuse to buy it," one viewer said.

Some TikTok users shared videos discussing their thoughts about the campaign.

'Didn't Include a Single Plus-Sized Body?'

"You're telling me that Torrid just put out a new line, and they didn't include a single plus-sized body?" TikTok user @_queerauntie said in their own video, which was viewed more than 100,000 times.

They laughed in disbelief as they showed some of the campaign images in their video.

"If your front page is for plus-sized bodies to spend money, where are the plus-sized bodies?" @_queerauntie asked. "You can't tell me those b**ches are plus-sized."

@_queerauntie told Newsweek in an email that they posted their video after seeing the ad campaign without plus-sized models and said there have been previous calls on Torrid to update the clothing it offered to the plus-sized community.

When @_queerauntie saw the announcement for the new collection, they said they were excited. However, that excitement turned into disappointment after seeing the images and the models that were featured.

"This was incredibly expected yet highly disappointing," they said.

@_queerauntie said that although Torrid claims to celebrate diversity in skin color and body shapes and sizes, they consistently feature thin models with flat stomachs and without cellulite.

"Plus size people deserve to feel confident in their bodies and how they wear clothing. Plus size bodies deserve respect," @_queerauntie said. "If more brands featured diverse body types, perhaps we could change our culture."

'You're Excluding Anyone Larger Than Me'

Another TikTok user, @blnetzer, shared her own thoughts in a video viewed nearly 250,000 times, showing the brand's webpage for one of the collection's items.

Her video featured a page on the brand's website where a customer could purchase a top. That page also gave customers insight into the other items of clothing the model wore that customers can shop for to achieve the look.

She pointed out Torrid recommended customers size up three sizes in a pair of straight-leg jeans to achieve the loose-fitted look seen on the product's webpage.

@blnetzer said she would have to purchase a size 6X pair of jeans, which converts to a size 30 and is the largest size the brand offers.

"What you're saying now is that you're excluding anyone larger than me from being able to wear jeans like this," @blnetzer said.

At the end of her video, she also pointed out that the model is not plus-sized.

"I'm not shaming the model herself," @blnetzer said. "But this is not a plus-sized model. This does not tell me what these clothes will look like on my body."

@blnetzer told Newsweek in an email that she was shocked to see the latest campaign.

"It's a company that prides itself in size inclusivity and going up to a 6X or size 30, yet all of [its] models are a size 10," @blnetzer said.

She said that while the company carries beyond a 3X, the brand encourages customers to size up in order to achieve some of the looks. This has resulted in customers being excluded from some looks.

"It's a shame because I know so many people in the plus size community, myself included, are hurt by their choices," @blnetzer said.

She applauded Universal Standard for its size range and for using a variety of models that show different body shapes and sizes.

"Even Walmart's and Old Navy's websites offer different models on their clothing, where you can choose the model that is closer in body type to your own," @blnetzer said.

'Let's Also Use The Other End Of The Spectrum'

TikTok user @amakaylasmith also chimed in with her thoughts about the campaign in a video viewed more than 42,000 times.

She said while Torrid carries a wide range of sizes, the brand does not advertise to a substantial portion of its customer base.

"The biggest issue I take with it is that it promotes the idea that Y2K is only for straight-sized people," @amakaylasmith said.

She continued, saying the brand should use size 10 models because they are part of the customer base, adding that Torrid can also hire underrepresented plus-sized models.

"Let's also use the other end of the spectrum," @amakaylasmith said. "Let's have size 30 models and a bunch of sizes in between."

She said while she knows she can shop for her size at Torrid, the images that are part of the campaign tell a different story.

"That's the issue for marketing for any place that carries plus sizes, but it's really disappointing to see Torrid do that because that's such a huge part of their customer base," @amakaylasmith said.

She told Newsweek in an email that plus-size women were previously excluded from the Y2K trends when it was first popular, and Torrid appears to "push the same narrative" with the marketing images that were used.

"It's unfortunate that they're not taking advantage of the opportunity to be a thought leader in the plus size fashion space," @amakaylasmith said. "They could revolutionize plus marketing and display a range of models that reflects their valuable range of sizes."

She pointed to brands such as Tamara Malas, JessaKae and Shop Taby as brands that have advertised their clothing with a diverse range of body sizes.

Newsweek has reached out to Torrid for further comment.

It's not just clothing brands that alienate groups of people based on their weight or body type, although retail company Abercrombie & Fitch also experienced pushback after they reposted a photo of a plus-sized customer wearing their clothes.

A photographer faced backlash after it was revealed that he charged $100 more to photograph "curve/plus-sized" models.

Resurfaced clips of America's Next Top Model have gone viral and sparked a discussion about a conversation that was had between the judges about a contestant's body size.

Updated 09/15/2022, 5:52 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with comments from TikTokers @_queerauntie, @blnetzer and @amakaylasmith.

Corrected 09/20/2022, 5:30 p.m. ET: Corrects company spelling to JessaKae