Brands We Love
Body positivity and diversity in the fashion and beauty industries has come a long way in the past ten years. And while there’s still a lot more to be done, we want to recognise some of our favourite brands that are getting it right. All bodies are beautiful, no matter what shape or size.
DOVE
Dove’s ‘Real Beauty Pledge’ promises to portray women as they are in real life, with diversity, honesty and respect. The brand has stopped using retouching tools which means zero digital distortion of women in their ad campaigns and the images are even approved by the women they feature. Dove has also had another project in the works – the Dove Self-Esteem Project - for over 15 years. The project educates young people on body confidence as well as the impact social media can have on our confidence, and is striving to become the biggest global educator of self-esteem of its kind.
SELKIE
Selkie, by former White Fox Boutique co-founder Kimberely Gordon, offers a range of whimsical party dresses, afterparty sweatsuits and bridalwear. The brand's main goal is to be size and culturally inclusive. Selkie sizes range from XXS to 5X. Selkie is also a low waste company, producing only small quantities of each piece to eliminate added dumping or contributions to landfills and using pre-order options to account for order estimations.
SKIMS
Skims is a solutions oriented fashion brand which creates underwear, loungewear and shapewear for all body types. Skims aims to set new and realistic standards for shapewear. From the inclusive size range to underwear which comes in a host of different skin tone colours, Skims has become a trailblazer in the lingerie industry. Earlier this year, Skims also released an adaptive collection, designed for customers who have limited mobility. Founder Kim Kardashian says: “Diversity and inclusivity are in our brand DNA.”
UNIVERSAL STANDARD
Deemed the world’s most inclusive fashion brand, Universal Standard is committed to changing the industry standard by encouraging people to embrace diversity, inclusivity and change. The brand carries a wide range of clothing, intimates and denim with sizing options from 4XS to 4XL, and they have introduced Universal Sizing - the brands own take on what sizing should be. Universal Standard believes if the average woman is a size 18 - small, medium and large options should be reflective of that.
FENTY BEAUTY
Fenty Beauty shook up the beauty industry a few years ago when the brand released a foundation which has 50 shade options for all skin tones. It began many conversations about diversity being a priority, not an afterthought, and gave women of colour the confidence to demand much more from other mainstream beauty brands. Since 2017, Fenty Beauty has received a host of accolades for inclusivity and most recently, received an award for Services to Diversity at the Vogue Beauty Awards.
GUCCI BEAUTY
Gucci Beauty launched in 2019, and the topic of diversity is very close to the brand. It’s fashion counterpart, Gucci, has cast multiple transgender models to grace the runways at fashion shows. With the release of Gucci Beauty’s L’Obscur mascara in June 2020, a game-changing advertising campaign ensued. The campaign featured 18-year-old Ellie Goldstein, a UK model with Down Syndrome, and was praised for its inclusivity of disabilities. Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele also stated: “disability is not a limit."
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