Nationwide fashion chain with 500 stores sparks fury after it is accused of cutting plus-size section in stores
A popular fast-fashion store has been accused of cutting down its plus-size clothing range.
Forever 21, the go-to store for American teenagers for decades, recently deleted its plus size social media account, leading some shoppers to question its commitment to offering a diverse range of clothing sizes.
The controversy went viral after popular fashion TikToker Remi Bader claimed Forever 21 was pulling back on its investment in the area.
Bader also revealed that the company had reneged on a planned plus-size partnership with her.
'Forever 21 deleted their plus-size account on Instagram - like it's gone, like there's no more,' Bader said in the video shared with her 2.3 million followers last week.
Forever 21 has been accused of scaling back its investment in the plus-size market
'I also noticed on their plus-size section on the website that they're now doing 70 percent off everything, and clearly, this means that they're no longer making new plus-size clothes,' the influencer explained.
Bader said she had been in talks with the fashion brand since November about a consulting contract to help improve the fit of their plus-size designs.
The influencer argued that the deleting of the account, her contract not materializing and the fact that the plus-size sections of Forever 21 have been put on sale suggest the brand is scaling back its investment in that aspect of the market.
Bader's video comes after another TikTok user called Samyra went viral last week after she documented her visit to five different Forever 21 stores in Los Angeles, CA..
She expressed her frustration that only one of them carried plus-size clothing: 'If Forever 21 actually cared about plus sizes, they would have them in stores.
'Forever 21 is part of the reason why shopping at the mall isn't fun when you're plus size, because you can't get any clothes.'
Her video struck a chord with many viewers, who flooded the comments section with similar experiences.
'They're removing the plus size section at my Forever 21 too,' one user wrote.
Forever 21 has denied that it is scaling back its plus-size categories.
'Earlier this year, we combined all our social accounts - men's, kids, and plus–into one Forever 21 account,' the retailer wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.
'Our goal is to create an inclusive space where everyone feels at home, regardless of size, gender, or race.'
The statement said they 'have not eliminated plus' sizes - and that they are offering it in more categories such as lingeries, sleepwear and swim.
At its peak in 2015, Forever 21 was worth $6 billion, making its married South Korean founders Do Won Chang and Jin Sook Chang supremely wealthy.
Forever 21 denied the allegations in a lengthy statement posted to Instagram
The company claims it wishes to create an inclusive space where everyone feels at home'
However, it was forced to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 after a significant drop in sales.
It has since closed hundreds of stores across the country, and in June appealed to its landlords for reduced rents on others.
Forever 21 did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
