Universal Standard, the direct-to-consumer brand for sizes 10 to 28 that launched back in 2015, is expanding into a category that still goes mostly underserved: plus-size jewelry.
The label released a limited-edition accessories collection for extended sizes. The affordable pieces (prices cap at $70) include a necklace, choker, bracelet, earrings, and rings, all designed to not only fit comfortably, but also look good on a larger body, specifically.
“I know from personal experience that finding beautiful modern pieces of jewelry that fit and look native to my body type is nearly impossible,” Alexandra Waldman, Universal Standard’s co-founder and CCO, tells Glamour over e-mail. “Even longer necklaces don’t fall in the right spot on the front of the body—everything tends to look clipped, cheap, or semi-disposable,” she adds. “I’m a grown woman—I don’t want to wear an adjustable rings that I have to squeeze together around my finger.”
The jewelry in this capsule has a distinctly minimalist aesthetic: They’re mostly platinum, with little embellishment or add-ons, and are fashioned into clean silhouettes. The goal was to provide “luxury-looking pieces that would fit beautifully with Universal Standard clothing and with your pre-existing wardrobe,” says Waldman. “They are uncomplicated, but full of subtle drama, if that’s not too much of a contradiction.”
Though this launch didn’t stem directly from a demand in the brand’s existing fan base (“we don’t really wait to be asked for things by our customers,” the co-founder notes), Universal Standard has a more intuitive approach to introducing new categories, thanks to a personal understanding of what they think is lacking in the market. “We set out to make beautiful, affordable pieces for women who have gone without them for far too long,” Waldman explains. “We don’t try to be everything to everyone—that’s not possible. We stay true to our aesthetic and quality principles. That’s really how this capsule came about… We thought these kinds of pieces needed to be available.”
Universal Standard’s apparel ranges from $50 for a T-shirt to $280 for a gown. The goal with their pricing is to raise the quality customers can expect from plus-size clothing with its direct-to-consumer model while still keeping the pieces accessible—and that approach extended to its jewelry capsule, too, as well as any future ventures. “We plan to expand Universal Standard across many categories,” Waldman teases.
“Jewelry is just the beginning. We want women above size 10 to feel like they have options, like things are getting better all the time. That’s our reason for being.”
Universal Standard’s jewelry capsule is available to shop on the brand’s website. Check out the rest of the pieces, below.
