Popular women’s fashion retailer closing nearly 200 stores
The plus-sized clothing market for women has been steadily growing.
“Plus-size clothing for women market revenue was valued at $23.6 billion in 2024 and is estimated to reach $37.4 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2026 to 2033,” according to data from Verified Market Reports.
CAGR, or compound annual growth rate, shows that the market will be expanding.
The report also shared some other key facts about the growing women’s plus-sized fashion market.
E‑commerce channels are growing at the fastest pace, comprising more than 60% of sales and outpacing traditional brick‑and‑mortar outlets.
The global plus-size clothing market is projected to achieve a robust CAGR of around 7% between 2025 and 2033, driven by rising awareness and demand for inclusive fashion.
North America currently dominates the market, accounting for over 35% of total revenue, with Europe and Asia Pacific following closely.
The projected growth in plus-size fashion highlights not only increasing demand, but also the potential for retailers to innovate in inclusive sizing, pricing, and e-commerce experiences.
The shift to online sales has been noticeable, even as more traditional retailers, including Target, have broadened their in-store selections to be more size-inclusive.
Target added a partnership with designer Kahlana Barfield Brown and was clear that inclusivity was a key component.
“From the outset, Kahlana and the Target design team felt it was important to make the collection work for every body and feel amazing for women of every shape and size — and budget. All 120 items are available in an inclusive size range of XXS-4X (in stores and on Target.com), with most items under $35,” the chain shared in a press release.
Target and other retailers, however, have not stemmed the tide of plus-sized sales moving online. That shift to online sales has forced Torrid, one of the leading retailers in the space, to close nearly 200 brick-and-mortar retail stores.
Back in June, Torrid shared a plan to close around 180 underperforming stores out of its fleet of just over 620 stores.
“At the same time, digital continues to be our customer’s preferred channel, now approaching 70% of total demand. We’re accelerating our transformation to a more digitally-led business, which includes optimizing our retail footprint,” she said.
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Harper then got specific about the planned shutdowns.
“We now plan to close up to 180 underperforming stores this year — allowing us to reduce fixed costs and reinvest in areas that drive long-term growth, including customer acquisition and omnichannel enhancements,” she added.
Those closures have rolled out slowly.
June 5, 2025, major closure announcement: Torrid plans to close up to 180 underperforming stores nationwide by the end of 2025, as part of a strategic pivot toward digital channels and cost reduction, according to its Q1 earnings release. At that time, the company operated roughly 632 stores, down from 658 in mid‑2024.
Q2 2025 (August 4, 2025), quarterly results update: In its second quarter 2025 report, Torrid noted it had closed 57 underperforming stores and remained on track to reach the 180 closures goal for the year, the company shared on its investor relations page.
Late 2025, ongoing local closures: Individual store closures continued into late 2025, with specific locations’ (e.g., Meriden Mall, Conn., location) announced closings in January 2026 and others winding down inventory or shutting doors locally, according to CT Insider.
Torrid has been closing retail stores.Shutterstock
Torrid reported its third-quarter sales on Dec. 3. Some of the highlights included:
Net sales decreased 10.8% to $235.2 million compared to $263.8 million for the third quarter of last year.
Comparable sales decreased 8.3% in the third quarter.
Net loss of $6.4 million, or ($0.06) per share, compared to a net loss of $1.2 million, or ($0.01) per share, in the third quarter of last year.
As of Q3 YTD, the company had closed 74 Torrid stores. The total store count at the quarter’s end was 560 stores. Source: Torrid Q3 earnings report
“We are clearly disappointed with our overall performance this quarter. Despite some areas of strength, it was more than offset by missteps in our overall assortment mix that we are addressing head on with decisive corrective actions,” Harper said during Torrid’s third-quarter earnings call.
The company plans some assortment changes for 2026.
“Looking ahead to 2026, we’re implementing a more strategically balanced assortment architecture. Approximately 30% of our assortment offering will be opening price points, developed in close partnership with our merchandising design and product development teams to ensure we maintain our quality standards while delivering accessible value to customers,” the CEO added.
Analysts see Torrid’s closures as a strategic pivot to digital, reflecting a broader retail shift where e-commerce now accounts for the majority of plus-size apparel sales.
William Blair analysts Dylan Carden and Anna Linscott, in a note shared by Retail Dive, supported the chain’s plans to shrink its retail footprint.
“The bigger headline here for us is that management is taking a broader cut to store closures, which we believe is a positive step in freeing up capital to invest in new product and marketing to support clear momentum in its online channel,” they wrote.
GlobalData Managing Director Neil Saunders also supports the shutdowns.
“The closures are largely sensible, since they will free up capital to invest in things like better marketing and product developments,” Saunders told NewJersey.com. “Money will also go into stores that are showing potential.”
Experts suggest that strategic store closures paired with digital expansion allow companies like Torrid to reinvest in product development and marketing, ultimately driving long-term growth.
