Forever 21 has been in the news recently for its legal woes [subscription required], but in spite of getting sued left and right, they’re expanding their business like crazy. They’re set to open a huge Times Square location in the former Virgin Megastore, and lately they’ve been launching new lines like crazy. The first was Faith 21, a “plus size” line (I put “plus size” in quotes, because it only goes up to 2x, which still leaves out a significant portion of the plus-size market). Weird sizing aside, Faith 21 make sense–young plus-size customers are very limited in terms of fashionable clothes, so, hey, cheap and disposable mass-produced clothing for all!
I was a little puzzled, however, when I got an email about Love 21, Forever 21’s new “contemporary” line. My first thought was that the line was going to be more expensive–in industry terms, “contemporary” refers to a price point and a customer, like that of Barneys Co-Op, Neiman Marcus Cusp, the 2nd floor at Bloomingdales, etc.–and, really, does anyone want to pay more for clothes from Forever 21? Thankfully, Love 21 does not appear to be more expensive than the rest of the store’s offerings, and, at first glance, the clothes really don’t appear that different either. But my guess is that Love 21 is aimed at a slightly older customer–the dresses are a bit longer, the cuts more forgiving and covered-up. Or, as the website says, “Love 21 offers a more sophisticated, modest fit than Forever 21.” So if the average Forever 21 customer is, well, 21, add another 10 years for Love 21.
There are definitely some standout pieces. The lace detail at the shoulders of this knit top is really pretty, in a cool, downtowny kind of way. The linen side-swept skirt looks flattering, and $24.80 for linen is not too shabby. And I plan on stocking up on the very current-looking basic knit tank. Currently, Love 21 is only available online and at select stores; the only NY location is the 34th Street store. But, much like with Urban Outfitters, I find shopping Forever 21’s website a far more pleasant experience than shopping in the store.
Is this all necessary? Probably not. But considering the wackiness of the Forever 21 sizing–I have some tops that are size small, and other times I can’t even zip up a large–this is probably a good thing for those of us who love Forever 21 but probably shouldn’t be wearing juniors sizes anymore. Hopefully the more generous cut of Love 21 will take the guesswork out of shopping there.
From our friends at Cheryl Shops
