लैक्मे फैशन वीक के तीसरे दिन प्रतीक बब्बर भी रैंप पर नजर आए। इस दौरान उनका जो लुक और एक्सप्रेशन्स थे, वह कुछ ऐसे थे कि आपको भी सीरियल शक्तिमान का कैरेक्टर तमराज किलविश याद आ जाएगा।
| RITU KUMAR | PAYAL SINGHAL | SANGEETA BOOCHRA | ASHIMA LEENA | AHILYA | SATYA PAUL | SHAZE | AZA | RINA DHAKA | GLOBAL DESI | ZARIIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dresses
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Dresses |
Designer Piece |
Kurtas & Kurtis |
Kadda |
Sarees |
Jewellery |
Ethnic Wear |
Designer |
Women's Shoes |
Sportswear |
| Kurtas |
Western Wear |
Jewellery |
Salwar Suits |
BangleSet |
Printed Sarees |
Earnings |
Sarees |
Dress Material |
Jewellery |
Sports & Shoes |
| Jackets |
Tops
|
Bangles |
Tops |
Pendants |
EmbellishSarees |
Bangles & Bracelets |
Kurtas & Kurtis |
DesignerSaree |
Fashion Jewellery |
Gold jewellery |
| Tops |
Ethnic Wear
|
Coin & Bars |
Leh Cholis |
Kadda |
Handbags & Clut |
Rings |
Salwar Suits |
Blouses |
Bridal Set |
Pumps & Pee |
| Skirts |
Salwar Suits
|
Earings |
Western Wear |
Acessories |
Bags & Luggage |
Jewellery Sets |
Chunnis & Dupattas |
Gowns |
Jeans |
Spectacle |
| Jumpsuits |
Sarees
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Chains |
Dresses |
Earings |
Top-Handle Bags |
Sunglasses |
Bottom Wear |
T-Shirts & Shirts |
Jeans & Jeggings |
Nightwear |
Friday, February 14, 2020
The Complicated Relationship Between Shapewear & Body Positivity
Modern shapewear — Spanx specifically, which will mark its 20th anniversary on February 15 — was born into a very specific era with a very specific vision of the ideal woman. It was the era of low-rise jeans, peek-a-boo thongs, bodycon dresses. Everything had to be tighter, smoother, more taut and toned, and often more overtly sexual. If you didn’t meet this ideal, shapewear presented itself as a solution to your “problem.”
Today, more than a decade later, the world has changed, but many of those problems are still around. Although the body positivity movement has made significant progress in the effort to love ourselves and our bodies better, even the most confident people struggle with what they see in the mirror. Since its inception, shapewear has been marketed as a quick fix for those moments of frazzled frustration, i.e. “This just doesn’t fit right!” or “How can I look…smoother?” And that strategy has paid off — big time.
Industry estimates suggest the compression and shapewear market size is expected to climb to $6.4 billion by 2024. When I purchased my first pair of Spanx in the early 2000s, Spanx was the major — if not the only — player in the game. Things have changed quite a bit since then. Brands like Heist and Shapermint have entered the space, aiming to revamp shapewear’s image. The goal? Make it less about “fixing” a problem and more about doing whatever makes you feel good and comfortable.
“We wanted to give women freedom by giving them something better,” Fiona Fairhurst, vice president of innovation at Heist, said last fall after the brand released a new bodysuit that purportedly removes “the struggle, sweat, and squeezing” typically associated with shapewear. “While intimate apparel is the fastest growing market within apparel, there is very little catering to the comfort of women.”
Physical comfort, though, means nothing without being comfortable mentally and emotionally. And for many people, that’s not always easy when shapewear is involved. When you’ve got Kim Kardashian calling her SKIMS shapewear brand “solutionwear,” is it even possible to be both body positive and a shapewear user?
Well, before we can answer that question, it’s worth considering what constitutes shapewear to begin with.
“What is shapewear? Anything that alters your shape makes sense to be considered shapewear,” model Precious Lee, who was featured in Kardashian’s campaign launch for SKIMS, told Refinery29. “I personally feel bras and shoulder pads are shapewear. Broader shoulders, lifted boobs — what’s the difference between shoulder pads and bras and spandex bodysuits under thin fabrics? Beauty standards are such bullshit, I’m exhausted from hearing the term to be honest.”
But, to be fair, she’s also tired of bras — at least some of the time.
“Not worrying about your slinky dress clinging to your tummy may feel more free, but have you ever spent a whole day in public bra-free?” Lee said. “It’s amazing. It all depends on the moment, the garment, and the woman that’s wearing it. Do I feel less beautiful without it? No. Do I feel more comfortable wearing a strapless dress on the red carpet with a strapless bra? Yes. It’s not a make or break. It’s a preference.”
That’s a sentiment Denise Bidot supports. The model recently starred in a Shapermint campaign titled, “Feel Like the Masterpiece You Are.” According to a company press release, it wanted to show that although women do work to achieve “ultimate body confidence” through shapewear, they’ll have days when they opt to “magnify their inherent beauty.”
“I want to encourage women to embrace shapewear and know there is nothing to be embarrassed about in trying it,” Bidot said. “I always talk about shapewear. I’m an open book. I’m not using it for any ill reasons. When I was posting about Shapermint, someone in the comments came at me, and I had to immediately respond to that because [smoothing out] my lines has nothing to do with my confidence or my body positivity.”
For the campaign, Shapermint pulled from the real-life “key moments” of its consumers, identifying those instances when they need an extra boost of confidence: following childbirth, in response to medically induced weight gain, before a wedding or big event, at work, and as they reach common milestones in their body’s evolution.
“We wanted to break with this notion that women aren’t allowed to have ‘off’ days where they feel less confident,” said Shapermint’s head of brand, Stephanie Biscomb. “We all have insecure or self-conscious days, weeks or months, and some of us wear shapewear to feel confident again during those trying times. There shouldn’t be shame in that.”
It’s an ambitious thought: let women do and wear what they want, when they want, without any shame or backlash. But what does that look like in practice? Can consumers buy and wear shapewear without perpetuating unrealistic beauty expectations and standards in the first place?
“To be honest, I’m not sure that we can,” said Brianna Huntsman, a consultant and blogger. “My struggle with shapewear of any kind has been that it is designed to make the wearer’s body more acceptable. As a feminist, I struggle with my decision to wear shapewear to change my body to fit patriarchal beauty standards.”
Huntsman also has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that can dramatically affect weight. Between 2012 and 2019, she gained about 100 pounds. Shapewear entered the picture.
“This radically changed my relationship with my body,” Huntsman recalled. “I started wearing Spanx because I desperately wanted my body to be smaller, sometimes wearing two pairs. I was very self-conscious about having a lot of this weight gain in my stomach.”
Although Huntsman said she believes “there is no wrong way to have a body,” it can sometimes be tough staying connected to that belief, especially in a world constantly reminding you of what you need to fix or change.
“I know that I don’t need a solution for my cellulite, but feel almost cornered into wearing shapewear by society,” Huntsman explained. “When it comes to perpetuating beauty standards, I’ve made a commitment on my platform to share when I am and am not wearing Spanx. I’d like to see more creators do this, in the same way some brands are transparent about Photoshop use.”
In other words, the solution to this particular problem area might just be revealing what we’ve been working so hard to hide all along.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Kim Kardashian Picked New Name For Shapewear Line
Paloma Elsesser Is Just Getting Started
Paloma Elsesser is having one hell of a month. It started with Copenhagen Fashion Week, where the 27-year-old model walked in Ganni’s now-viral fall ‘20 show. From there, she hopped on a flight back home for a quick stint at New York Fashion Week to not only walk for Eckhaus Latta, a brand she’s been working with for years now, but also to casually hang out with Dapper Dan, Chioma Nnadi, and Anna Wintour for Vogue 100’s annual fashion week dinner at Majorelle.
Cut to 24 hours post-Eckhaus Latta. I’m across the country, standing in the dimly lit hallway of a mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills for H&M’s Studio Collection launch party. Lykke Li is here, performing a surprise acoustic set which acts as background noise to my short but sweet conversation with Elsesser. As “Sex Money Feelings Die” plays, I ask her why she got into modeling in the first place. “Somebody gave me the want before I wanted it for myself because I never knew that I wanted it,” Elsesser says.
While studying in New York, Elsesser was contacted by an editor at Pop Magazine who told her about the changing industry, asking her to join in on the movement. “I took the bait,” she says. “I was inspired by how it was evolving and that I could have financial and experiential autonomy over my life, which I didn’t have as a 20-year-old. I also wanted the chance to change the world a little bit. And that seemed like enough for me.” Two years later, she was contacted via Instagram DM by the great Pat McGrath, who asked her to star in the makeup artist’s Golden Makeover line. That’s when things really took off.
Since, she’s posed naked for Glossier billboards all over Manhattan, starred in a Fenty Beauty campaign for Rihanna, and became a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund judge. “Anna sent me a personal email,” she recalls. “I thought she sent it to the wrong email.” Now, of course, they’re thick as thieves. “She answered my email today. Like yes, Anna Wintour has emailed me.” But for someone who’s been hand-chosen by fashion royalty, Elsesser doesn’t, in any way, act superior. Instead, she’s using her newfound role as a judge to shake things up. “It’s been like such an incredibly eye-opening experience getting to see how this business works up close because if I don’t know the business, how am I supposed to change the industry? That’s what I came here to do: I didn’t come to wear clothes, I came here to disrupt and change some shit.”
And that’s exactly what she’s doing. For one, she was part of the committee that awarded Brooklyn-based designer Christopher John Rogers the 2019 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award, which allowed him to focus solely on his namesake brand. “It’s been amazing to be a part of him getting that award because while he, of course, deserved it off talent, the conversation always came down to his magic, his energy, and what it means for him to be a new American designer that we can look back at in time and know that we supported.”
In addition to that role, Elsesser continues to push boundaries in her modeling career, paving the way for a cooler and more inclusive industry. “For way too long, the plus-size industry has been all about being extremely sexy,” she says. She then walks me through the most spot-on description of every plus-size modeling campaign of the last decade: A curvy girl all oiled up wearing a leather jacket over her shoulders. But that’s not how she sees the next ten years going. “I really feel like instead of all that, we can just be cool, we can have nuance, we can be strange.” Since Paloma rose to supermodel status, she’s been able to parlay that message, giving rise to a community of plus-size models who look different than the picture she so accurately painted in my head.
As for other changes that she’d like to instill on the fashion industry, empathy is her highest priority. “I think there needs to be a heavy dollop of empathy inserted for the well-being of models.” The way she sees it, it’s great that nowadays, the general welfare of models is being taken care of (read: sexual assault is no longer being swept under the rug and models aren’t being told to “correct changing areas” as they previously were), but what really needs to be pushed is the nurturing of peoples’ careers so that it’s not just about how you look. “But that takes time. Even just that you were able to ask me that question and me answer it honestly is a change in and of itself.”
For someone who never had any intention of working in the fashion industry, Paloma Elsesser has made one serious mark on it. And at just 27-years-old, these weighty accomplishments are only the beginning of what’ll surely be a long and impactful career for the model.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Exclusive: Pics From H&M's Spring '20 Collection
If You’re Going To Shop ONE Sale This Weekend, Make It Nordstrom’s Winter Sale
When plotting your plan of attack for the Nordstrom sale, we suggest focusing your attention on quality and style that can stand the test of time. And to help you do just that, we've sorted through a 100 pages of the sale and culled a few gems to get you started, but it's up to you to move fast. Because it's not enough to get a good deal, we want the good goods too. We included some additional wardrobe must-haves too, like Hanky Panky underwear sets and a fun accessory or two (for good measure). Ahead, find a selection of smart pieces that you can put to work over and over again without the big investment price — and some bonus items to boost your closet credibility.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
All deals in this post reflect the listed prices and product availability at the time of publication.
Nordstrom Faux Leather Leggings, $, available at Nordstrom
Lauren Ralph Lauren Wool Blend Belted Wrap Coat, $, available at Nordstrom
Paul Green Boone Combat Boot, $, available at Nordstrom
Isabel Marant Sinky Leather Crossbody Bag, $, available at Nordstrom
Free People Easy Street Tunic, $, available at Nordstrom
T3 Twirl Trio Interchangeable Clip Barrel Curling Iron Set, $, available at Nordstrom
Gorjana Desi Coin Pendant Necklace, $, available at Nordstrom
Halogen Seamless Tank Bralette, $, available at Nordstrom
Club Monaco Cavalry Twill Cuffed Pants, $, available at Nordstrom
Reformation Nikita Sweetheart Sundress, $, available at Nordstrom
Coach Troupe Mixed Leather Tote, $, available at Nordstrom
Supergoop! Snow or Shine SPF Set, $, available at Nordstrom
Astr The Label Primadonna Surplice Blouse, $, available at Nordstrom
AGL Softy Tall Boot, $, available at Nordstrom
BLANKNYC Sweetheart Stripe Sweater, $, available at Nordstrom
Kopari Beauty Besties Set, $, available at Nordstrom
BaubleBar Twist Headband, $, available at Nordstrom
Topshop Faux Leather Shirtdress, $, available at Nordstrom
Hanky Panky 3-Pack Low Rise Thongs, $, available at Nordstrom
Saloni Alena Silk Midi Dress, $, available at Nordstrom
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The Best President's Day Fashion Sales To Shop
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