Lane Bryant’s Twitter Chat Kind of Backfired
In 2015, Lane Bryant sought to revolutionize the plus size fashion industry. The company’s advertising campaigns were some of the most inclusive in the biz, showcasing diverse women. The #ImNoAngel campaign took a direct hit at Victoria’s Secret and gained national attention for their provocative nature and its #PlusIsEqual hashtag effort a few months later, with a mysterious full-page spread in Vogue, did the same.
But while Lane Bryant seems to be leading the charge when it comes to changing clothing options for curvier women, that doesn’t mean the retailer is doing everything right. On Tuesday, Lane Bryant hosted a Twitter char with its Chief Marketing Officer, Brian Beitler, and customers didn’t hold back on airing their grievances.
Why is everything in Lane Bryant outrageously priced? We’re plus sized, not the 1%. #AskLaneBryant
— PoppyThot (@tres_stimulante) December 8, 2015
#AskLaneBryant when will we see size22+ model not only in a campaign/ad but also product shots on website?
— Chanté (ECAC) (@ecurvynchic) December 8, 2015
And while we’re uplifting younger PS women, don’t dis older women. We have style & want nice clothes too #AskLaneBryant
— grownandcurvywoman (@grownandcurvywo) December 8, 2015
Did you give any credit to the actual fat activism that made a thing like plus is equal even possible? #AskLaneBryant
— bad gal teetee ariel (@kiddotrue) December 8, 2015
Why do you hire thin women to work in yr stores and then apparently encourage them to tell me about how “slimming” stuff is? #AskLaneBryant
— indecent thexlogian (@femmina) December 8, 2015
If #plusisequal why are the smaller bras more likely to be on sale & better stocked in-store + online than the F/G/H bras? #AskLaneBryant
— zaynab shahar (@atypewritersing) December 8, 2015
Why do you refer to your customers as “Real Women” as if slender women are somehow imaginary? #AskLaneBryant
— On Dawner On Blitzen (@jdhowa2) December 8, 2015
Could you possibly figure out how to make bras that do not regularly cause people injury? #AskLaneBryant
— indecent thexlogian (@femmina) December 8, 2015
#AskLaneBryant What’ll it take to get you to sell plus petite sizes?? Not all fat women are 6’ tall like your models. <nods>
— wendy. (@itspurpl) December 8, 2015
Can you stop pretending you cater to fat women when you shove Spanx down our throats? #asklanebryant
— Thot Queen Regent (@SourceDuMal) December 8, 2015
At what point is @LaneBryant going to be interested in actually humanizing fat people? #AskLaneBryant
— Amanda Levitt (@FatBodyPolitics) December 8, 2015
I think the prob is @lanebryant does JUST enough to pacify but does not push the envelope as a legacy plus size brand should #AskLaneBryant
— TrendyCurvy (@TrendyCurvy) December 8, 2015
The accusations heavily outweigh the compliments, but it’s rare that a brand would open the floor up to a conversation at all. As one person wrote, “Thanks a bunch for giving your customers the opportunity to be so open. I do hope that you read these and consider everything.” @LaneBryant responded by saying that they’re “so grateful for the candidness and openness today. We had such a short amount of time but want to keep the convo going.”
Until next time!
