N Brown’s on the campaign trail to raise awareness of a “continued lack of inclusivity in the fashion industry when it comes to clothing fit and design, and the negative impact this has for many people”.

It’s called ‘Fashion for All’ and comes after the digital fashion group’s research revealed detail that “really hammers home this issue”.

So much so that later this summer, the owner of the Simply Be, JD Williams and Jacamo labels intends to stage an industry-wide summit to create clear recommendations for change to tackle these barriers.

So what are the findings? On the (brief) positive side, 52% of all UK adults say their clothes make them feel good about themselves and 38% say shopping for clothes makes them feel good about themselves.

But now for the negative side and those who don’t. Fewer than half of people (47%) who wear the UK average size (16) and above say it’s easy for them to find clothes that fit well.

Some 26% have avoided trying new fashion trends; 20% have avoided a birthday party or special event; 21% have avoided physical activity and exercise; and 11% have even avoided going into the office.

N Brown said this issue is even more acute for older and larger-sized people, with the former the least likely of all age groups to say that their clothing positively impacted their confidence and self-esteem. And almost a third of the latter (31% and sized 22+) say they’ve avoided exercising because of their negative feelings about clothes, compared to just 12% of those who wear medium sizes.

Importantly, 24% of people in the UK say they don’t feel that clothing retailers “promote messaging that is inclusive or affirming for people like them”. 

More than two-fifths (43%) of UK men and 52% of UK women say they find buying clothes in-store to be stressful.

The campaign “demonstrates how the broader fashion industry’s failure to ensure everyone is able to access clothing that makes them feel good is having a significant impact on the confidence and wellbeing of their customers”.

Hence the ‘Fashion for All’ summit to be held in Manchester in September.

Meanwhile, its campaign which encompasses its three strategic retail brands has been developed to tackle the barriers of size, shape, age and background “which can prevent people from enjoying fashion and the confidence and wellbeing boost it can bring”.

Sarah Welsh, CEO of Retail at N Brown Group, said: “Fashion should be for everyone, but it’s clear that inclusivity is not being made a priority by the clothing industry. Our number one concern is ensuring that every one of our customers is able to access our clothes and feel incredible in them, regardless of their age, their size or their income level.”

She added: “By failing to be inclusive, retailers are not only letting down their customer base, but also limiting their opportunity for growth in a crowded and competitive market.

“The retail industry must work harder to make fashion for all, not just a lucky few. At N Brown, we are proud to serve the underserved, as we have done for over 160 years.”