She’s a three-time Grammy winner, a talented flautist, singer and dancer who consistently tops the charts – and now Lizzo is adding another string to her bow by launching a shapewear brand.
The 33-year-old’s new line is called YITTY, and is all about inclusivity, catering to sizes from 6X to XS.
Shapewear has traditionally had a somewhat unglamorous reputation – evoking images of unsightly bloomers cinching you in under your clothes – but that has recently changed, largely thanks to Kim Kardashian. Her Skims shapewear line has been wildly popular since it launched in 2019, offering a whole range of sexy and sleek undergarments.
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Now, Lizzo is planning to compete for Kardashian’s crown with YITTY, and there’s going to be a huge emphasis on self-love and body acceptance – things the singer has campaigned for throughout her career.
“Instead of thinking about size in this linear way, we’re thinking about it on a spectrum where everyone is included. Everyone’s size is just their size. It’s not high, it’s not low. It’s not big, it’s not small. It’s just your size,” Lizzo says of the line.
This is a massive statement, and feels like it goes against everything we’ve been taught. Even though we logically know the same size can look different in different shops, who among us hasn’t felt bad about themselves when something doesn’t fit, even though it’s our ‘normal’ size? Or if you’ve gained a bit of weight, it can feel quite crushing to go up a size – because for many of us, part of our self-worth is tied to a tiny number on a label.
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The word ‘shapewear’ might make you think of trying to change your body, or squeeze it into a silhouette that’s considered more acceptable – but that’s not what YITTY is about.
Lizzo has told us more about the ethos of the brand on Instagram, writing: “This is *not* an invitation to change who you are… this is an opportunity to BE who you are on your terms. I don’t know about y’all— but I’m sick of people telling me how I’m supposed to look and feel about my body. I’m tired of discomfort being synonymous with sexy. If it’s uncomfortable TAKE IT OFF. And if it makes you feel good PUT IT ON.”
It’s such a refreshing thing to hear – particularly as we’re in the midst of a body image crisis. According to statistics gathered by the Mental Health Foundation in 2019, over a third of adults said they have felt anxious or depressed because of their body image over the previous year. It’s clear technology has a big part to play, with one in five adults and a staggering 40% of teenagers saying images on social media “caused them to worry about their body image”.
That’s why Lizzo’s presence is such a balm – she’s an antidote to much of what we see online, with her message of loving your body – no matter what it looks like. She’s one of the most prominent body positivity activists in the public eye, whether it’s proudly showing off her curves on Instagram or in her new Amazon show, Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, where she hunts for plus-size women to be her backup dancers.
It can’t be easy – Lizzo has even broken down on Instagram after being on the receiving end of what she called fatphobic and racist abuse – but having someone like her fighting the good fight for body positivity makes a definite difference, particularly for young women and girls scrolling through social media.
While body diversity in fashion is improving, the runways and our Instagram feeds are still predominantly full of slim bodies – and YITTY shows there is an alternative: for seeing and appreciating all bodies, just as they are. And if Lizzo can make a bit of money off the back of it? Well, all power to her.
What can we expect from the line?
Created in collaboration with Kate Hudson’s Fabletics, YITTY will launch with three drops. The ‘Nearly Naked’ collection is all about light, seamless undergarments, ‘Mesh Me’ will be “smoothing mesh styles that blend fashion with function, designed to wear as underwear or outerwear”, and finally ‘Major Label’ is a collection of everyday lifestyle pieces.
YITTY launches April 12th – it will be available on YITTY.com, as well as Fabletics.co.uk. Prices range from $14.95-$69.95 (€13.49-€63.12) for VIP Members.
