Universal Standard teams with Goop to expand size inclusivity

Universal Standard’s mission for size inclusivity has reached Goop and its cult-like following.

Universal Standard has been on a no-nonsense fight to bring inclusive sizing to all areas of the fashion industry. While it is not the only brand to stand on a mission statement of size inclusivity, the three-year old brand and its founders have been known to take strategic action to encourage fellow brands and retailers to expand their size ranges through raising awareness about the sizing gap in womenswear, educating on how to feasibly increase size options and collaborating on size inclusive lines.

This week, Universal Standard and Goop launched a new clothing line of five minimalist staple pieces, ranging in size from 00 to 40 and ranging in price from 225 to 395. The contemporary, professional capsule is defined by sleek forms, clean lines and an overall smart look. Pieces include a wool tuxedo jacket, trousers, a dress and a skirt.

“We hope that we are moving into a world that is more inclusive, more open and gives a larger voice to women,” Universal Standard’s co-founder Alex Waldman told Fashion United. “We are proud to partner with Goop to spread this inclusive mission further into the fashion industry.”

Like with Universal Standard’s past collaborations such as the two lines it did with J.Crew, the aesthetic is designed with Goop’s consumer base in mind, to bring inclusive sizing to that particular audience. Founded by Gwyneth Paltrow, Goop is a lifestyle brand that focuses on wellness in the physical, spiritual and inner senses. It is beloved by many millennials and is also met with much disdain from others, mostly caused by its controversial tips such as its suggestion to use stickers made from space suits to balance energies and that a jade egg inserted into a woman’s body can “create kidney strength.”

Goop had been criticized in the past for making unhealthy statements on weight loss, such as a Q and A explaining “how to lose weight fast,” which was later disputed by a nutritionist, as well as advice on how readers can remain at their “leanest livable weight.”

Goop pushes for size inclusivity across the industry

Despite Goop’s past controversial statements on weight, Waldman shared that the collaboration was “created out of the shared mission of driving the fashion industry further into inclusivity.” Gwyneth Paltrow had actually invested in Universal Standard earlier this year for its series A funding.

“Goop is a wellness site with self-care at its core. Our focus is helping women make choices that make them feel good and eliminate shame in their lives, whether that’s linked to sexual health, age, or stress,” Paltrow said in a statement this week.

Waldman told Fashion United that she hopes the collaboration with the celebrity brand will “set a precedent for the entire fashion industry to embrace inclusive sizing as the new normal.” She added, “We have the opportunity to share our point-of-view with a larger audience and set the precedent for other brands to follow suit. The end goal is an industry that is fully size inclusive, where no woman is excluded from any brand because of her size.”

Photos: courtesy of Universal Standard