‘I Didn’t Own Jeans For a Decade’: How Melissa McCarthy Finally Found Her Perfect Denim (She Made Them!)

Melissa McCarthy has already conquered the world of comedy, and now she’s ready to take on the fashion industry.

Melissa McCarthy clothing line style issueBen Watts


With McCarthy’s newly-launched line of women’s clothing made to fit all sizes, Melissa McCarthy’s Seven7, she hopes to break down the barrier between mainstream and plus size clothing once and for all — starting with the perfect pair of jeans.

“I spent a decade not owning jeans,” McCarthy, 45, told PEOPLE. “I’d buy stacks of them but none were ever right. I believe you should be able to sit comfortably in your pants.”

When it came time to design her new line, McCarthy was determined to re-imagine jeans as we know them and prioritize comfort above all else. After months of trial and error, the Spy actress finally perfected the formula for the perfect pair.

“I knew we’d gotten these right when I was still wearing them and by bedtime I didn’t want to tear them off the minute I got home,” she said.

And the proof that she perfected them is in her sales numbers: When her line launched on HSN, over 1,400 jeans were sold in the first two hours — forcing producers to cut the segment short when inventory ran out.

With the success of her launch and the positive response she is getting from women who feel they are finally getting the options they deserve, McCarthy has no plans to stop designing. “Oh, I will be doing shoes at some point, believe me,” she said. She will also be adding a holiday collection in the coming moths.

RELATED PHOTOS: Fall Style Special 2015

Melissa McCarthy clothing line style issueBen Watts


But more importantly, she wants her clothes to be sold on the main floors of stores. She no longer wants plus size clothing separated from mainstream sizes, which had the effect of making women feel unhappy with their shopping experience.

“I know what it’s like not being able to go shopping with my friends because ‘women like me’ have been hidden away on a different floor next to the tire section,” she told PEOPLE.

McCarthy might not have to wait much longer to accomplish her goal. Two big name stores have already agreed to keep all her sizes of clothing — ranging from size four to 28 — on the same floor (though she wouldn’t reveal the names of the stores).

“So here’s to shopping with our friends and leaning to love and appreciate all the amazing ladies in our lives,” she says.

RELATED VIDEO: Melissa McCarthy Exclusive: ‘How I Did It My Way’

Pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, featuring Melissa McCarthy and our Best Dressed List of 2015, on stands Wednesday, and tell us: What do you think of Melissa’s clothing line? Will you be adding any pieces to your closet? Share below.

— Jodi Guglielmi with reporting by Kate Coyne

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