Can struggling ASOS be saved?

As a plus-size woman whose entire wardrobe is from the brand, I really hope so

It’s a tough time to be a retailer right now and while the announcement of high street closures rolls on, our online favourites are also struggling.

ASOS has published its latest results and with losses nearing £300m compared to £30m the previous year, things do not look good… at all.

While the CEO blamed a “challenging environment” - which cannot be denied - it’s worth noting that on the flip side, Shein is thriving having just bought Missguided.

Excess stock, unpredictable weather, free returns and an ageing customer base are just a few of the reasons that have been put forward for ASOS’ decline, but as a loyal customer since the ‘As Seen On Screen’ days, I have grown frustrated with the brand.

As a plus-size woman, 99% of my wardrobe is from ASOS Curve. They are the only retailer (to this day) that truly caters to extended sizes and they were also one of the first.

My love for ASOS runs deep because of that, which is why the news of their struggles genuinely worries me because without them, I don’t have a wardrobe.

However, the brand that has always supported plus-size women is now failing them and if you’ve scrolled the Curve section in the past year or so, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Pages and pages of frankly horrible clothes that somehow manage to make the beautiful models look bad. With shapes and designs that I know plus-size women don’t want.

Why is everything bodycon, cropped or mini? Now, I’m not saying I want fit and flare dresses and cardigans back, but where are the basics, the oversized fits and the cool streetwear or chic smart/casual pieces? Why is everything either designed for clubbing or lounging at home?

And the brands. Oh the brands, of which there are so many. The reason I’m on ASOS is because I have to google ‘trendy plus-size clothing’ to try and find alternatives to online catalogues full of tunics.

It says a lot when you’ve spent your entire life avoiding ‘Yours’ and now are ordering items from them via ASOS because they’ve become your last resort.

I want ASOS Design, I want ASOS Curve, I want ASOS 4505 to reach its actual potential. I want Collusion back. Where has Collusion gone and why am I now desperately searching Vinted for it, to get my fix?

The most frustrating thing is that when ASOS Curve gets it right, it’s always a guaranteed sell out. As someone that checks the site on the daily and organises by ‘new in’, I can spot those items a mile off because they are the clothes that we actually want. The problem is they sell out almost immediately and never get restocked. Why?

My shopping options are so limited that ASOS could have all my money and I would happily give it to them, but I can’t find anything to buy. I’m not spending my money elsewhere, I’m just not buying clothes.

It is so frustrating to see your favourite brand in this position when from the outside there is so much wasted potential. Pandemic ASOS actually slapped and all my favourite T-Shirts are from those years. One particular Collusion one I still regularly search for on Vinted in hopes of finding a back up.

ASOS need to go back to their own designs, figure out what their customers are actually doing with their days and edit the brands they stock. It’s ironic that I mentioned my hatred of Yours earlier when they have just been named fastest growing fashion retailer in the UK.

Honestly, it’s the plus-size fashion equivalent of Eric the Eel beating Michael Phelps.

I appreciate that not all of you shop in the Curve section of ASOS, so I’d love to hear your experiences with the brand and if you’ve all noticed unwelcome changes in your shopping experience.