Universal Standard's Size 00-40 Line Is Now Available

Clothing brand Universal Standard has finally released their new "Foundation" collection on their website to a waiting list of excited fans. Why is everyone flipping out about a line of basics you ask? Well, the brand has taken a step toward fixing the fashion industry's massive sizing problem and created sizes 00-40 or 4XS-4XL.

An Instagram post announcing the line a week prior featured model and body positivity activist La'Shaunae Steward in a simple white tank, underwear, and socks. The reactions from fans were far from understated. Commenters made clear how emotional they felt seeing a body that looks like their own when the vast majority of fashion campaigns only represent a tiny sliver of the population.

@Missljsimms wrote, “I genuinely feel emotional seeing my body represented in a fashion campaign for the first time. I am 30 years old and this made me cry with joy 💕🙌” And they weren’t the only one crying. “Straight tears,” from @shyla1987. “Ever since my body got bigger due to my illness I have struggled with my image and seeing this makes me smile.”

The problem with most “plus-sized” clothing is that its definition within the fashion industry, generally size 16 and up, is outdated. Why stop at size 16 when 68 percent of women in the U.S. wear a size 14 or higher? Who deserves to find clothes that fit? To quote the announcement by Universal Standard, which currently sells sizes 6-32, “ALL OF US. AS WE ARE.”

Fans like @Kkimberleep were overjoyed to recognize themselves in a luxury fashion campaign. “Hey I recognise that body type!! SHE’S JUST LIKE ME 😬! Can’t Wait ❤️❤️❤️” And @skeskali commented, “YES! A body I can relate to!”

Twenty-two year old La'Shaunae is the first size-24 black model to sign with London's Revolt Model Agency last month. She is also an outspoken advocate for body inclusion and founder of Inclus Models, a platform for unsigned models with non-traditional body types (under 5'8" and over size 18). With Universal Standard’s announcement, she posted on Instagram:

“a shoot that was so special and important to me. being a model that people constantly look over or being a curve model that isn't conventionally attractive or “fat in all the right places” and always finding myself only posting angles I felt were more appealing. this angle shows everything I fought being insecure about and shows every part of me that people told me would have to be smaller in order to be accepted. this is also the most powerful photo I have ever seen of myself and I couldn't be more proud. thank you @universalstandard and @ronanksm for capturing this moment ❤”

The colleciton includes basics like t-shirts, tanks and turtlenecks that individually priced range from $35-$50. They also can be purchased as a 4-piece or 7-piece set for $150 and $200 respectively.

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