Billed as one of the biggest launches in the brand’s history, Old Navy in August began offering all women’s clothing styles in size 0 to 30 and XS to 4X, making it one of the first retailers to place such a big bet on inclusive sizing. It did away with separate petite and plus-size departments and grouped all sizes of each style together. Mannequins in varying body shapes displayed the new wares. All sizes of a style were priced the same, a break with an industry practice in which retailers charge more for larger sizes.
“This is the largest integrated launch in the brand’s history and an important growth driver for the business for years to come,” Gap Chief Executive Sonia Syngal told analysts in August.
Soon after, however, Old Navy’s sales started to nosedive. Last month, Nancy Green, the chain’s president and chief executive, stepped down after less than two years running the brand. Gap warned that sales for the spring quarter would fall short of expectations in part due to troubles at Old Navy.
The extended sizes were the culprit, according to current and former employees.
Stores were selling out of the middle sizes and were stuck with piles of very small and very large sizes, the employees said. To clear out the excess goods, Old Navy put a large quantity of women’s clothes on sale this spring. The move contrasts with other retailers that have held the line on discounting because of strong demand and supply-chain challenges that have kept some items in short supply.
At an Old Navy store in Queens, N.Y., racks of women’s clothes were recently selling for 50% off. Some women’s dresses were available in only XS and XXL. High-waisted canvas pants were sold out in sizes 4 through 10, but available in size 2 and in 12 to 28.
Shoppers said Old Navy’s message of inclusivity resonates with them. But it is sometimes outweighed by the frustration of not being able to find their size.
“I’m not necessarily the slimmest,” said Sydney Bassard, of Charlotte, N.C. “Sometimes it’s hard to find clothes that aren’t tight.”
Nonetheless, the 26-year-old speech pathologist said that since Old Navy introduced the wider range of products, she has had a hard time finding her size, which is among those that have been in short supply since the expansion. “I have to look through a lot of sizes and then my size isn’t available,” she said.
