11 Honoré and Nordstrom Just Joined Forces to Bring Plus Size Luxury to the Masses
As anyone who has ever attempted to shop for plus-size clothing in a brick-and-mortar store can tell you, finding the good stuff isn’t easy. There’s been a dramatic increase in online plus-size fashion retailers over the past decade, but that revolution hasn’t translated into real-world options. Aside from a few specialty stores, there are few places where one can have the ability to view and try on clothes in real life. Historically plus-sized consumers have been viewed by retailers as an afterthought. Today’s announcement of 11 Honoré and Nordstrom’s new partnership aims to change all that.
As 11 Honoré’s first retail partner, Nordstrom will sell the brand’s well-received in-house line, a stylish array of mix and match separates offered in sizes 12 to 24. The partnership is a necessary move that will make self expression through clothing or finding work essentials like a quality blazer or work-appropriate trousers more accessible, given the 100 full-line Nordstrom locations in the United States. “We’re excited for the 11 Honoré collection to be reaching more women through the Nordstrom retail channels,” says Patrick Herning, 11 Honore’s founder and CEO. “Their commitment to inclusivity aligns perfectly with our mission.”
For Danielle Williams Eke, 11 Honoré’s design director, seeing the pieces she created in Nordstrom was a full-circle moment. “My grandmother was one of the reasons why I got into fashion, and we loved to go shopping together with my sisters. Nordstrom was always a place that we went to,” she shared on the phone from Los Angeles. “When we first started discussing this collaboration, I thought of her, and I think Nordstrom as a retailer has such a rich history. They house aspirational and accessible fashion under one roof, and this collection is at a perfect price point to live in their stores.”
More than price, the pieces offer an elevated level of quality. The luxury e-commerce site has been at the forefront of changing the conversation around extended sizes. By drafting design’s biggest names—Brandon Maxwell, Diane von Furstenberg, and Christopher Kane, to name a few—to increase their size offerings, they’ve challenged stigmas within high fashion. Still, it’s through their contemporary label that they’ve been able to assert the brand’s vision for the market’s future. For Williams Eke, everyone should be able to access elevated fashion. “We want these clothes to be part of our customers’ everyday lives. These should be investment pieces that pair well not just with each other, but with the customer’s existing wardrobe,” she says. “So the clothes have to be well made and thoughtfully designed. We pay attention to the details, the silhouettes, everything that impacts the functionality of the collection. It’s a big part of what we do.”
That attention to detail resulted in pieces that sold out almost immediately when the line debuted on the 11 Honoré website in September. Priced between $128 - $248 standouts like the mustard yellow Cora sweater coat, the sleek, after-hours appropriate Ivy belted blazer, and William Eke’s personal favorite, the puff-sleeved ruffled mini-dress she dubbed ‘the Danielle,’ went fast. The looks resonate because they have a point of view and tailored fit. “The quality is there,” says Williams Eke. “When people buy [these pieces], they know that it’s going to fit them and be adaptable. These pieces can be dressed up or down, worn with sneakers or heels, and they’ll work either way.” Now that they’re in stores, even more people will have the opportunity to experience that versatility for themselves.
