Department stores and other retailers are expanding their lineup of large-size clothes to meet growing demand among big women wishing to don fashionable apparel.
Nissen Co., a leading mail-order company based in the city of Kyoto, opened a store in the Parco Part3 building in Tokyo's Shibuya district in March last year to sell clothing to larger women matching Japanese clothing size standards of "L to 10L," as well as shoes sized 24 to 27 cm.
The store, called Smile Land, is designed to address concerns larger women often have — including a reluctance to try on clothing because they easily sweat and have difficulty bending their knees.