Dear Addition-Elle,I think it's time we had a chat. You see, I have been frequenting your establishment for quite sometime now and while I have been eagerly spending your fashion dollars and partaking in your plus size fashion, something has been bugging me and I think it's time I got it off my ample bosom.
You see, Dearest AE, while I absolutely love the gorgeous Ashley Graham and all of the other beautiful models you portray in your advertising, I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. As Canada's largest (and possibly only!!) plus size establishment (aside from Penningtons, which you also own) you have the opportunity to do something epic, groundbreaking, and revolutionary. You have the opportunity to provide your clientele with the one thing we ache for the most.....images of women like us, wearing your clothes. Nothing against the babes you showcase as they may fall into the "plus size" category (according to your blog post: http://blog.additionelle.com/2014/07/09/plus-size/), but I bet if I had a look at your main demographic, it would NOT feature a size 14/16 woman. I would bet that your average clientele falls between a size 20 and 24 and does not have that flawless hourglass figure that you tout in your fashion editorials.
Now, don't take this personally, because I love that you provide options for us plussies, where there wasn't any previously, but I think we can make a big difference here. You see, I have taken the liberty to provide you with beautiful imagery showcasing YOUR customers wearing YOUR garments and looking absolutely sexy and fabulous...and more realistic to how your customers look when they put on your lingerie. Seeing as it's 2016, I think we can all agree that it's time to stop marketing focused on getting women to want to be someone else and instead provide them with marketing that speaks to who they already ARE and how great they would look wearing your clothes!!
Now, I know this might sound forward and maybe even a little brash, and you are probably thinking, what the heck does this one girl know about fashion and marketing and OUR business...well, I AM your business. You see, I am an avid customer (I have the receipts to prove it) and I am pretty sure if I feel this way, so do a lot of your other customers (at least that's what I gather from the comments on the social media sites, saying they want to see more "bellies" etc.) And I am sure I can hear your marketing director scoffing at this letter, saying things like "nobody would buy clothes if they were on "REAL" bodies", but just think how we feel when we try your pieces on our REAL bodies and realize that we look NOTHING like Ashley Graham when we put on lingerie?? It would be rather radical (and amazing!!) of you to provide us with a more accurate representation of OUR body types. And yes, I know Penningtons has been featuring the gorgeous Tess Munster, but can we get more of that action in the lingerie department of AE?
Seeing as you essentially have the monopoly on plus size fashion in Canada at the moment, I realize you don't OWE me anything, but I think you have a chance to do something amazing and I promise that you will see a spectacular return on your investments (which, at the end of the day, is the idea, right?)
Oh, and PS. if you could get ring lights on your mirrors in the fitting room, I GUARANTEE an increase in sales. Downward lighting from pot-lights is flattering on no one.
XOXO,Your Customer Who Is Built Less Like An Hour Glass and More Like a Brick
(All of these babes are wearing lingerie purchased at Addition-Elle....as you can see, we all look fab as hell)