Sadly, in the plus-size industry, there is still a ton of subtle shaming that goes on. With the imagery we are consistently presented with, the message is pretty clear: You can be big but not too big, you have to have the perfect hourglass shape, and your skin still has to be pore-less and free of stretch marks. But Lane Bryant, one of the top plus-size retailers, isn't here for any of that.
In recent years, Lane Bryant has become far more than a trendy shop for bigger women. It has hosted campaigns that consistently highlight plus-size girls in a vast majority of areas, and it has put bigger women of color at the forefronts of its movements.
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Recently, it has added a ton of new advertising images to its site for its "Seriously Sexy Lingerie" summer collection, and across the entire site, models with obvious stretch marks and cellulite are gracing the pages.
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And as Plus Model magazine noted, Lane Bryant does its part to normalize it. Celluilte-riddled and being full of stretch marks doesn't get a special section on a plus-size site — it is integrated effortlessly because frankly that's how the fat bodies of its customers look.
Representation is vital — it isn't enough to just have clothes available. Let's hope more retailers catch on to their customers' needs soon.
