A size run is the set of sizes a style is offered in, and the size curve is the ratio in which those sizes are expected to sell.
Oct 5, 2026
The run is the list: XS to XL, or 36 to 46. The curve is the distribution across it, and the two get confused constantly. A brand offering six sizes is not expecting six equal quantities; the middle of the run usually carries most of the volume.
Getting the curve wrong is expensive in a way the run is not. Cut flat across sizes and the extremes become the part nobody wanted, which is the most common origin of broken runs and, eventually, dead stock.
A run is broken once the core sizes have gone and only the extremes are left. The style is still in stock on paper, but it can no longer be sold to a retailer who needs to merchandise a full rail, so availability reports overstate what is really sellable.
This is why ATS read at style level misleads. A brand reporting only total units will keep offering something no buyer will take, when the same units moved into an outlet or a bundle would at least clear.
Start better wholesale today
Pre-orders, stock orders and reorders in one platform.
Free to start, no credit card required.
We use cookies to measure and improve your experience. For more information, please read our cookie policy.