by By Sally Campbell
In the age of rapid social media growth, it is hard to see past a general lack of representation across people of different identities. As a young female, I can speak from experience that social media isn’t always reflective of realistic features. Between the portrayal of romanticized beauty standards and the overall lack of diversity, social media can be destructive for underrepresented groups and individuals. However, not all brands are guilty of playing into this on thier platforms. It is important to acknowledge the brands highlighting and portraying across individuals of all different identities.
The first notable brand that is doing justice to the message of body positivity is Parade Underwear. Founder of Parade, Cami Téllez, says, “Sexiness isn’t one-dimensional—it’s a voice, it’s a feeling, it’s a technicolor mirror that reflects whoever is holding it. With you, we’re rewriting the American underwear story—in full-spectrum color.” Parade describes its products in three ways: unreal comfort, made for everyone, and good for the planet. This is made possible by utilizing a range of high-quality materials, carrying size and gender-inclusive products, and committing to a whole pledge to sustainability. Parade highlights people of all different identities on its social media accounts and website, making it clear that it is truly a brand for every body. Another bonus, the brand has products ranging in price to have more affordable options for those who aren’t able to spend as much and is transparent with pricing on social media to make interested buyers aware from the get-go.
The second brand that always impresses me with its inclusivity is Girlfriend Collective. With its mission statement being, Clothing for people who care,” you can tell Girlfriend Collective is a brand of good intentions. Girlfriend Collective makes it known that every choice the brand makes in its process, is done with care. While this brand does good for the planet, it also recognizes body positivity as something beyond shape and size. Girlfriend Collective works to recognize body positivity by celebrating BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, chronically ill, and other marginalized bodies outside of the boundaries society has tried to normalize. The Girlfriend Collective Instagram and website features models who break out of the societal beauty standards, portraying that anyone is model-worthy. The brand also exercises inclusivity in its sizing, ranging from XXS to 6Xl, with a good representation of all sizes in social media posts.
A third brand honoring inclusivtiy, bringing us closer to a market that produces with everyone in mind, is Universal Standard. Founders, Polina and Alex, said, “We wanted a size 40 to shop in the same way as a size 00 – using style as her only filter, and we wanted to be the ones to make that happen,” and that they did. Universal Standard makes size as little of a factor in style as possible. The Universal Standard’s Instagram bio reads “Wardrobe essentials for all of US,” utilizing the initials of the brand name to play on the principal value of the brand. In every post, uniqueness of every individual is celebrated in the context of the brand’s products.
Parade, Girlfriend Collective, and Universal Standard are brands made for everybody, and their Instagram marketing is representative of that core value. If you find yourself scrolling through social media, feeling an absence of diversity and inclusion, try giving these brands a follow for how things should be. It is easy to get carried away by the contorted realities social media provides and forget about the importance of different people, bodies, and identities.
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This is such a good blog post! I have a few friends who are “ambassadors” for Parade, and I had not heard of them before seeing their posts. I have not heard about these other brands as well, but it is so good to recognize what brands are doing things well and leading the way in the industry to act as models for others. Representation is very important and has been asked for by consumers, but more importantly authentic representation is being asked for. The clothing industry has long been problematic and these leaders will help to guide the path for others with their growing popularity.
Hi Sally, I thought your blog topic was great! Brands being more inclusive and diverse is so important in today’s society. Previously I had no knowledge of the brands you listed, but now I am definitely more intrigued about them and their values.
Hi Sally,
this is such an important topic to talk about! I very much enjoyed reading your blog post and thank you for introducing me to those brands (I did not know all of them before).
I feel like, so many brands want to be a responsible brand but are not doing enough to actually be more diverse and inclusive. For some of them it might be because they don´t have the courage or because they don´t want to go the extra mile to adress the issue of underrepresentation.
My hope is, that more and more brands are putting effort and thinking into diverse representation and that all the different groups of people feel represented in media in the future.