Changing the perception of nude...
During recent times I've been listening, reading and educating myself on the BLM movement and society as a result. Whilst the issues and their impact are huge I find myself looking at small ways to change my own behaviour in personal life and at work to positively help and be actively anti-racist. Whether that be donating, watching supportive videos or refusing to work with certain fashion brands due to their attitude towards POC.
Yesterday I spent much needed time organising my Styling Kit neatly grouping it into; clips, tape, scissors etc, when I got to the underwear section I realised something - I have HEAPS of nude underwear but only in shades that would be suitable for a White person. In fact the only colour which would even be close to a nude suitable for a POC is true black. I was disappointed that I had never questioned this before - perhaps it could be that during my experiences working with POC they did not require a nude pair of underwear or perhaps they even brought their own to set, or could it be the harsh reality that in Australia we see far too few Black models and POC represented in the industry? Despite my questioning, it is on me to do better personally and so I have been looking at darker 'nude' brands so that I can be fully prepared for future clients.
It posed certain challenges finding 5 brands that offered dark nude underwear and I can honestly say I looked at around 40 underwear brands in total, most of which catered only to light nude skin. Nowadays any brand offering a light nude option should also be catering for a dark nude, we should also change the narrative on 'skin colour' underwear being a light beige or pink shade - just google skin colour underwear and see what is represented in the search results.
Every person should be able to find a nude that is their nude, one of the best tips I can offer as a Stylist is to wear the right underwear for the occasion. Below I outline 5 brands that are great for dark skin colours.
Based in the UK the company offers worldwide shipping. Their range includes 4 different shades for darker and black skin. They have bras, underwear, bodysuits and slips going up to size XXL. Nubian Skin products are also available to purchase from Asos.com
Naja chooses to employ mainly single mothers and women as factory workers to empower women, which in some cases can help lift them out of poverty. Great for quality basic pieces and they ship to Australia (via UPS).
Cosabella is all about Italian craftsmanship and fine fabrics, the family run business produces luxury lingerie, including pieces that are suitable for dark nude skin, although the range does not focus on these pieces. Also available on Net a Porter for Australian shoppers.
Beginning in 2003, American brand Commando was created to instil confidence in women starting with their underwear. The range includes; intimates, slips, leggings and bodysuits and caters to a plus size range (with certain pieces). Currently the brand does not ship outside of the US, however, if you're based in Australia or otherwise check out their list of international stockists.
Heist
London based Heist are fabric innovators, using Science and performer technology to improve the wearability of their garments. The pieces are created with the very best construction meaning the fabric works for you, like their 'gravity defying' tights or their unique shape wear pieces. Plus they ship internationally!
Hopefully you can to take something from this read, whether or not it showcases YOUR nude. I'm still very much listening and learning about how my small changes can help build towards a positive environment.
I'd love to hear ways you are helping the movement. If you're a POC I would love to know if you're a regular customer at any of the above brands (or others not included) and what makes their pieces so great? Leave a comment below
Thanks so much for reading!
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