When fashion retailer Evans closed its doors almost six years ago, the high street lost an important cornerstone of plus-size representation. Selling sizes 14 to 32, it was one of few stores in the UK where customers who weren’t being properly catered for elsewhere could walk in off the street and try on clothing made for their body. It shouldn’t sound like a steep request, but with dedicated plus-size retailers and boutiques hard to come by, Evans was extremely important to thousands of shoppers.
So, when its parent company, Arcadia Group, fell into administration in December 2020, consumers were understandably upset. Evans continued as an online-only model, but the spark of real-life purchases was lost. That is, until now.
The brand has officially made a comeback, now available in over 50 Yours Clothing stores across the UK and Ireland, including in Liverpool, Swansea, Watford, and Glasgow. Laura Adlington, a plus-size fashion and body confidence content creator, welcomes Evans’ return, sharing that the news may be ‘nostalgic and even emotional for some women.’
Laura tells Metro: ‘Evans was one of the few places on the high street where plus sized women could go and try on clothes and not feel like an afterthought. And for a lot of women, myself included, it was their first experience going somewhere that actually carried their size.’ So, she continues, in many respects ‘it’s wonderful news.’
While plus-size clothing is more readily available online, it can prove difficult to find a good array of pieces while shopping in-person, especially Laura adds, because of such high-demand. ‘If you go on to any website that carries extended sizing, they’re always the ones sold out first! This isn’t a niche category.’
Evans clothing is now being carried within 50 Yours Clothing stores – with customers able to find dedicated sections at 36 different locations across the UK. The largest dedicated plus-size retailer in the UK, with 99 stores carrying sizes 10 to 40, Yours Clothing has been operating for almost 30 years. Promising to ‘celebrate all women – including women with curves,’ the brand’s ethos is to create clothing that ‘fits and flatters.’ Unlike other brands that stick to limited, selected plus-size ranges, Yours caters exclusively to mid-size and plus-size women.
One customer, @jojo, shared their reaction to the news posted on their local Yours Clothing TikTok page, writing ‘Ooh, I’ve missed Evans – I will definitely be there.’ @Lorina added that the new lines all ‘looked lush.’
However, while Laura is still thrilled about Evans’ return, she emphasises that ‘this is just the tip of the iceberg.’ ‘The high street has a major plus-size problem,’ she tells Metro. ‘A lot of mainstream brands talk about inclusivity, but then don’t carry their extended sizes in-store. Plus-size customers have got money to spend and it’s just a bit frustrating that in 2026, this is considered “big news”.’
The creator goes on to say that it’s not just sizing that’s the issue: ‘We need better designs, better marketing, and genuine investment – we want trend-led fashion, not cold-shoulder tops with diamantés.’
Laura wants retailers to understand that being able to go into a store and try on a piece of clothing that fits your body shouldn’t be a ‘privilege.’ ‘I’ll often go to the shopping centre with my little boy and think “oh it would be great to get a new outfit today”, but ultimately I just have to buy everything online. And then you’re guessing sizing, there’s returns to deal with – I honestly can’t deal with it.’
So, while the news about Evans making a return is one to celebrate, Laura stresses that we still have a long way to go before plus size shoppers are able to thoroughly empty their purses.
