Body double take
All photos courtesy of Snag Tights
by Vaila Erin Bhaumick
Who among us has done a double take recently when we see a little, or a whole lot, of ourselves in fashion branding? It feels at odds with what we’ve come to expect. Looking in the mirror and seeing the reality reflected out there is powerful and yet, at times, polarising.
Body positivity in the fashion industry is viewed by many as a marketing tool—nothing but another string in the bow of woke culture. Critics go so far as to complain that it’s making women fatter, unhealthier and less conscious of the importance of fitness. Others would argue that there are many reasons why women might have larger bodies and not all of them are under the individual’s control.
Perhaps body positivity is an over-correction, but it’s one that attempts to build a new narrative around not only size but also shape, gender, skin tone, scarring, menstrual cycles, maternity, postpartum, and physical abilities. It isn’t merely anti-fattist—rather, it could be considered an exploration of the physical variation of human bodies.
There are brands that exist purely to cultivate comfort and inclusivity, as opposed to simply injecting model variation into existing campaigns.
Standing, quite literally, in its power is Snag Tights—conscious that tights are typically different lengths but not different widths, they’ve worked on changing that. With a unique sizing system based on varying body types, the brand’s simple promise is tights that fit. “Clothes should be for everyone. Everybody should have access to clothes that fit comfortably, are produced ethically and make you look and feel incredible,” explains Brie Read, CEO of Snag Tights.
The reality of women’s bodies is the driver behind Snag Tights’ clothes—accepting rather than presenting an ideal. Brie spoke passionately about their mission: “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and we believe that we should show the world how it really is, celebrating people of all shapes and sizes. We’re on a mission to make fashion a more inclusive place, and we won’t stop until we’ve done it.”
As a way of honouring their values, Snag Tights use customers as opposed to models for their marketing images, bringing real bodies to the forefront.
Real bodies secrete fluids. Fortunately, the days of substituting blue liquid for menstrual blood in ads are gone—but the period taboo somehow remains. How much does the average person on the street talk about menstruating, leaking bladders, menopause and postpartum bodies? Modibodi’s mission is to break the taboo with social projects like Embodied, which captures raw images of the postpartum experience around the world, allowing mums to be seen and supported in their unique story of birth, and Give A Pair, which aims for period equity.
Kristy Chong, CEO of Modiboodi, questions the postpartum narrative. “When we were planning our new postpartum range, the only images we could find of the postpartum experience didn’t reflect the full picture—we knew something had to change. This campaign continues our commitment to tackling taboos and starting conversations about women’s health with care, compassion and empathy to help women prepare for the physical and emotional changes that accompany the post-birth period, and beyond.”
From a predominantly female-led brand to a queer-led apparel company, the out-and-out quest of TomboyX is designing clothes for all bodies across the gender spectrum. Their values? Accountability, Fearlessness, Diversity, Trust and Unity. A brand that celebrates all people—what could be more positive than that? It’s notable that their statement of support for the LGBTQ+ community specifies that their allyship is an all year long philosophy; some truth-telling on the marketing value of Pride month, perhaps?
Seeing yourself in fashion warrants a double take. Our inner sceptic reminds us of that tale as old as time: capitalism, and the elusive promise that we can buy our way out of unhappiness. But there is indeed a case for wanting clothes that actually fit, clothes that have our backs and catch our leaks, and clothes that respect our gender, ethnicity, ability and life stage. Don’t we all want to do a double take in the mirror and feel like the ‘me’ you see is one that is celebrated, by ourselves and others?