A Wren Says

Maybe you already noticed this, but Gucci has a section their site, Mx. Separate from men’s and women’s it’s intended to be gender inclusive. However, each of the items are each part of either the men’s or women’s lines and the associated sizing chart.

When I clicked on jacket to learn more, it was clearly apart of their women’s line and the women’s size chart popped up. The strategy they have seem to have taken is to market existing products in a way that is perceived as more gender inclusive rather than changing their overall design strategy. I say this because those sizing differences really do matter. Here is a comparison of the measurement in inches for a women’s large vs a men’s large.

As you can see, even though they are both considered “large,” they won’t fit the same. The measurement ratios between the chest, shoulder, waist, hip and even arm and leg lengths and neck circumferences are balanced with different proportions in men’s and women’s clothing. If I, a woman who fits the standard ratios fairly well in womenswear, want to buy from the men’s section, fit is going to be a little tricky.  

These issues of fit are my biggest concern as brands shift to a gender-neutral/inclusive model. That is something that could drive people away. But luckily at the luxury end of retail there is a way around it to find a solution for customer and keep them coming back: Alterations.  

Instead of going back and trying to refigure sizing, brand that already offer free alterations could lean into that offering more in their communications. This can provide a way to market offerings to guests and encourage them to buy, even if they don’t fit into the sizing paradigm for that item. And it adds another layer of data as they learn which items are more likely to get altered. That information can then be used to continue to improve fit. What better way to tailor to each customer’s needs than by actually tailoring items to their needs?