Body positivity is a movement that encompasses the inclusivity of all, irrespective of their age, colour, disability, race, gender, shape and size in the mainstream fashion world. Although this seems to be a new concept, body positivity advocates have been active right from the Victorian era to the present day. 

This wave of feminism in the mid-1800s denounced the use of stifling and uncomfortable clothing articles like corsets and tight laces to achieve a petite waistline. Despite the work of very bold and progressive body-positive propagators across the centuries, most of the mainstream fashion space was dominated by men and women of a certain size and appearance. 

Almost every magazine cover, print ad, hoarding and even in the early stages of the digital space saw flawless fashion models on them. However, around the 2010s with the growing use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, the body positivity movement got a new lease on life. 

Plus size model Ashley Graham became the first Size 16 model to grace the cover of Sports Illustration in 2016. This was followed by size 22 model Tess Holiday becoming the cover girl for coveted fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan and People. 

This change started a pent-up dialogue around size inclusivity and challenged the beauty standards that were dominating the fashion scene forever. Body-positive influencers have challenged the way the fashion and wellness industry used to operate both in terms of business and portrayal. 

Today, brands want to work with such influencers because they have brought with them a fresh perspective to the table. 

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#1  Brands can no longer look away 

The body positivity movement has created a lot of stir in the online space and brands can no longer look away from them. They need to cater to them both in terms of availability and representation. Consider the example of lingerie giant Victoria's Secret.  Between 2015 -2018,  sales of the company dramatically dropped. Many experts believe that failure to fully adapt to the changing trends like the size inclusivity and comfort was a primary reason for that. 

The brand which was previously accused of promoting unrealistic body standards has to reinvent itself and in 2019 announced its first plus-size model Ali Tate Cutler as the face of its lingerie collection. An influencer with 252 K followers on Instagram, Ali Tate is a body-positive propagator who doesn't shy away from talking about body insecurities and motherhood. 

Even fast fashion brands like Zara, who are notorious for vanity sizing have started creating clothes in size XL and XXL. 

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# 2 Changing customer perception 

In today’s world, perception matters a lot. Body positivity influencers have changed the way the beauty and fashion industry used to market their products. Today customers want to see people like them and not professional models or celebrities promoting and using the product. 

Social media influencers are ordinary people who have built a strong online profile via a medium of visual content. They have followers who are inspired by their work. Body-positive propagators have called out unrealistic beauty standards that were thrust on the consumers for a very long time. 

Brands are therefore looking to work with social media influencers who advocate body positivity for favourable positioning and marketing. 

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# 3 Suggestion and recommendation through a visual medium

The power of visual media and communication has transformed the marketing apparatus in a big way. People are learning about new trends, fashion hacks, makeup tips and whatnot from social media influencers. They are incorporating this learning into their daily lives and becoming confident. 

For a person suffering from low confidence and body image issues, seeing a body positivity influencer suggesting and recommending new fashion trends and wellness tips can be quite uplifting. 

Brands want to associate with influencers who are offering specialized recommendations and positive experiences to their followers through their platforms. 

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# 4 Helps lend a voice to a social issue

Brands are looking for innovative ways to market and promote their product. Marketing content that appears to be nothing more than a sales pitch is not likely to work today.  Body positivity covers a wide spectrum of social issues which were not discussed before. A lot of people who suffered from social injustice like acid attack victims, physical disability, and learning disabilities are finding their voice through social media platforms.  

Brands want to work with and lend a voice of support to them by supporting such advocators. 

Social media is a platform where everyone has a voice and a platform to showcase their thoughts and struggles. It is breaking the barriers of beauty and people from different backgrounds and physical attributes are being celebrated. 

The world of fashion is changing fast and so is the marketing ethos of beauty fashion brands. 

galleri5 has a powerful creator stack and a dedicated team that helps businesses market and grow in the online space.

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