Shapewear has made a comeback on the market. However, these days the narrative has taken a dramatic turn. The primary purpose of shapewear is no longer reserved for hiding a women’s “flaws” rather, more brands are focused on empowering people to feel confident in their skin. Today, flattering and comfortable shapewear designs can be paired and worn just as regular clothing.
What you might not be aware of is that shapewear can be used for medical reasons, as it’s used by many post-surgery patients either those recovering from BBL or other plastic surgery procedures.
In general, fashion companies are recognizing the benefits of having a powerful branding strategy especially as more customers align themselves with brands that champion diversity and inclusion. Examples of great comebacks include brands like Victoria’s Secret as well as emerging brands like Skims by Kim Kardashian.
One company that has made its first footstep into America, is deploying its methodology and values to close the gap between shapewear and fashion. Tributo is the first fajas (girdle) company that makes colorful and customizable fajas as well as other shapewear. Originated from Columbia which has an epicenter for plastic surgery clinics, they have managed to partner with some of the largest clinics and surgeons in both Columbia and America. Their brand champions partnerships that are in full alignment with what they believe in: diversity, inclusivity, and innovation.
This movement pertains to more than just positive ROI and brand trust, but its vision stretches to impact customers of all backgrounds and sizes globally, as well as pioneering ethical employment practices.
Here’s how functional fajas are taking a storm on the shapewear market.
Customization is key to embracing all types of bodies
Traditional fashion follows standardized protocols for sizing. This may leave people frustrated when trying to feel good in clothes because they’re unable to find clothes that are tailored to their body type and curves. It can become an expensive endeavor tailoring every piece of clothing they have, or time-consuming trying to look for the perfect fit in stores.
Here’s how customization can be powerful. When a company is based on customizing their clothing to fit the person instead of the other way around, it exemplifies to the customer that they truly come first. Tributo introduced a seamless online shopping experience for their customers who want customization but don’t want to pay thousands of dollars for it.
Their products are not only aesthetically pleasing, but the hallmark is their bright colors that customers want to show off, instead of hiding. The material is designed to provide compression to snatch the silhouette. By being custom made, the faja is able to only give compression in the areas needed like the abdominal area. The compression helps shape people’s curves, flatten the stomach, and improve posture. It’s also extremely suitable for people recovering from surgical procedures. Viviana says, ”By creating custom garments, we send the message that there is no such thing as a standard body or standard beauty.”
Another demographic that is underserved is people who identify as non-binary and desire to achieve the hourglass shape. Through Tributo, non-binary clients can receive exceptional service and customization to their needs. This was so important to the company, that they recently released the Ken Doll collection to honor this specific community and want to be the first ones to bring it to the mainstream.
Living by the same Values: Inclusion, Innovation, and Quality
Fashion has been around for centuries yet it’s not known for being the most inclusive nor ethical. Only recently have brands and advertising companies intentionally woven diversity and ethical practices into their marketing. The pivot to more inclusive fashion campaigns by brands such as Vogue, Victoria’s Secret, and the Gap, shows a cultural paradigm shift in fashion and values.
For Tributo, the quality of its product has as much to do with the quality of the company’s values as anything. The founder and CEO, Viviana Millán, takes care of her sixty and growing employees, treating it as an investment, rather than an expense. Besides refusing to open factories and restoring calm and beautiful houses for her employees to work in, she is mindful to negate the biases of gender or age from Tributo’s hiring process. Today, Tributo is a predominantly women-run company, with several single moms and immigrants in the workforce.
As it comes to branding, Tributo generally tries to employ regular people in their campaigns and partners with real fajas-loving customers of all orientations and body types. Most recently, their Hot Pink Campaign featured a bionic model Marsha Elle. This served as an amazing opportunity to showcase their brand’s values of inclusivity, as Millan puts it, “Having Marsha represents a bold statement for inclusion since she has a prosthetic leg, and it is not common in the shapewear industry to display people with disabilities.”
The constant iteration and improvement of the fajas speak to Viviana’s innovative mind. “It’s programmed into my hard drive to always look for ways to improve,” Millán says. In part what makes the company successful, is its unwavering dedication to using the best quality for the fajas and their practice of ethical fashion standards.
Conclusion
The story of customizable fajas started small and humble in Columbia, but as word spread, it’s on track to becoming a fashion staple. Not only so, but it’s supporting a broader cultural shift for people of all gender and body sizes in fashion. Utility, a distinct brand message, and loyal communities are indications of a timeless brand in the making.
