The global social movement called BoPo, short for “body positivity,” advocates the acceptance of all bodies regardless of physical ability, size, gender, race, or appearance. The movement also challenges beauty stereotypes that rights activists say are responsible for causing low self-esteem and eating disorders.
As Pakistani feminist movements have begun to grow, this movement has also reached our fashion industry, long known to promote only a select kind of body image.
F
The push for realistic fashion campaigns comes after many brands face backlash for the unrealistic beauty standards their campaigns portray.
Pakistani Brands that Promote Plus-sized Fashion
Two of the three brands promoting body positivity in Pakistani fashion are Lulusar and Inclusivitee.
“We all get shamed; I consistently get comments about how I’m too skinny, a bag of bones,” said Aisha Latif, one half of the brand Inclusivitee, which she founded with her sister Rabeeya Latif.
“We want people to feel proud of who they are, what they look like, and own it — that should be the norm.”
“Inclusivitee has abandoned gender and size in the clothes they produce, aiming instead to create pieces that fit a wider group of people.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDcPugcJWxK/
“We created a measurement that would be an average of all shapes and after multiple fittings, we found a fit that each member of my family could wear,” Rabeeya said.
Lulusar’s team also holds similar views. Zohair Abbas Khan who handles marketing at the brand says that they wanted to promote change and create an inclusive environment
“No one should be made to feel that a brand is not for them, that’s been our message from the start,” Khan said. Two collections by the brand, launched in collaboration with plus-sized comedian and actor Faiza Saleem, have been “immensely successful,” he added.
This comes after actor Agha Ali came under fire on social media after revealing that he had told his wife to never get fat. His wife and fellow actor Hina Altaf further revealed that he reminds her of this when she eats “too much”.
Body Positivity is the way
Despite such views still existing, the body positivity movement is fast gaining traction. A search for the hashtag #bodypositivity on Instagram generates over five million results.
Activists have also turned to Social media to champion for a more positive and inclusive environment. One of those voices is blogger and activist Baemisaal
.“Body shaming is prominent, rampant, and not ending anytime soon,” she said in an interview. “But day by day perhaps a little ripple is made; it helps to be vocal.”“People made me their poster girl for someone who is confident ‘even if she’s fat,’ which was very strange to me because I was simply existing,” Baemissal said.
Despite the problematic views still present around us, the body positivity movement is bringing about change slowly but surely. It is inspiring future generations to unabashedly be who they are and own each part of themselves. The role that fashion brands are now playing to bring that awareness to the main stage promises good things for the future.
ALSO READ
Here’s Why Bodyshaming Faiza Saleem is in Very Poor Taste
