Retailer Anthropologie adds plus-size clothing line

Women above a size 16 can now shop for more than just accessories at Anthropologie. The retailer on Friday said it is adding a plus-size category for the first time, offering more than 120 styles in its APlus line, which runs from 16W to 26W.

The clothing will be sold at anthropologie.com and certain stores. The decision follows other retailers that have moved into the plus-size women's market. 

Walmart, for one, sought to tap the $21-billion plus-size women's clothing market last year when it purchased clothing brand Eloquii, which makes clothes solely for women sizes 14 and above. At the time, Walmart said more than half of women between 16 and 65 in the U.S. wear size 14 or larger.

"APlus by Anthropologie demonstrates the brand's continued commitment to supporting inclusive sizing. Previously, sizing extended from 00P – 14P and 00 – 16, with petites added for Fall 2012," Philadelphia-based Anthropologie said in a news release. 

Available online and at 10 stores, the plus-size line will be expanded to more locations coming later in the year, Anthropologie said. Founded in 1992, the subsidiary of Urban Outfitters operates 226 stores in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Lingerie chain Victoria's Secret has come under fire for not being more inclusive, with parent company L Brands' chief market officer, Ed Razek, last year rejecting the idea of using plus-size or transgender models, a position he later apologized for. 

"To eliminate certain categories from your marketing is just completely crazy to me," wrote Heidi Zak, co-CEO of the lingerie company ThirdLove, which took out a newspaper ad condemning Razek's remarks.