Aerie, a brand that has long been championing inclusivity with its body-diverse imagery and campaigns, is building on its commitment to serve a wide range of people by applying the approach to its merchandise, introducing an inclusive range of nude bras and underwear into its stock.
A continuation of the brand’s Aerie Real Me collection, a range of lingerie basics (think lightly lined bras, thongs, and briefs) that it has been promoting all summer, the brand is launching five new hues meant to reflect a diverse range of skin tones. Each shade named after a quality they see and hope to instill in their customer: Honesty, Inspiration, Strength, Energy, and Confidence. Though this capsule has been around for a few months, this product update marks the first time that Aerie, as a company, branches into the inclusive nudes space.
The range is launching with three pieces: a bra (which will retail for $39.95), a thong ($14.50), and a boybrief ($14.50). Flipping through the lookbook, though, we can anticipate even more styles, including bralettes and bodysuits, in the near future. Select items in the collection are decorated with small script meant to mimic a tattoo, all of which reflect messages of self-love.
“We are so excited about the Real Me Collection because it goes beyond color—not only are we offering a beautiful palette that includes a wide range of nudes, but the amazing second-skin soft fabric of these bras lets you feel like your realself,” Jennifer Foyle, Aerie’s global brand president, tells Glamour over email. “These bras have ultimate comfort and are super lightweight, all while providing amazing support with the right amount of coverage. This is a collection truly designed to move with you, shape to you, and feel like you.”
Aerie is the latest mass brand to expand its definition of “nude” in lingerie; Target revamped its selection earlier this year, as independent labels like Nubian Skin, Nudest, and Naja came onto the scene to cater to folks who didn’t see their skin tone represented in this category of supposed basics.
“The fashion industry was primarily targeted at white people, and nude was the color of a white person’s skin when they were nude—we needed to be inclusive and had to change that,” Catalina Girald, cofounder of Naja, told Bloomberg earlier this year. Though it’s taken a while for companies to adapt, in the past few years we’ve seen bigger and bigger companies open themselves and their product up to a more inclusive merchandising approach, from the Targets to the Christian Louboutins.
Don’t be surprised if you see this inclusive approach to nudes touch other parts of Aerie’s stock: Foyle says that the Aerie Real Me “has longevity and is a great complement to the balance of our assortment…. We plan for [it] to stick around and continue to evolve…stay tuned!”
Aerie’s Real Me nude lingerie drops in stores and online August 31. Currently, it’s available in sizes XXS to XXL and AA to DDD, though Foyle notes that the brand is “always working to expand our size offerings and make products that all girls can feel good in.”
Source : glamour
