I was recently asked to comment on a ‘story’ about underwear brand Triumph announcing new body shape descriptions, replacing fruit (apple, pear) with artists (Botticelli, Rembrandt, Ruben, Da Vinci, Raphael and Matisse). I gave a quick comment that it was still labelling and I didn’t think labelling of any kind was helpful . Emphasising health was more important than putting a label on body size, shape or weight.
At that stage I hadn’t seen the TV footage depicting women in underwear identifying themselves as a particular artistic shape, parading through Sydney’s Pitt Street to promote the brand.
As I looked into it more, I came to conclude that what we were seeing was an advertising puff piece masquerading as news – another excuse to show women (with generally ‘acceptable’ bodies in the first place) walking around the streets in underwear under the guise of body image concerns. ABC’s Media Watch featured Triumph’s media stunt here and reported it would have been worth over a million dollars in free advertising.
Triumph’s body image ‘shape report’ report seemed to be just the peg on which to launch some new underwear. As the media release says : “The Shape Report supports the launch of Triumph’s Shape Sensation range.” Oh my goodness – really?
An analysis of the findings of the report (conducted in conjunction with Marie Claire) with commentary from authorities in the field – sans the underwear models – would have been more convincing. But would the TV networks have been so keen to cover it without the public display of women in lingerie?
In promotions about the different body types, Triumph describes those with the body type considered ideal as “lucky”: “Do you have a smaller waist but a fuller bust and bottom? Lucky girl. You’re blessed with a typical Rembrandt body. ” This shows that despite mouthing platitudes about body image diversity, the company still gives primary value to a particular body type – which defeats the whole (supposed) purpose. The shapewear is designed to conform/bind bodies to an ideal – to make you more like the lucky girls.
See these range of bodies lined up under the heading ‘Which body type are you?’
When you click on the image for the ‘style advice’ you will see the women are magically transformed into something quite different – here’s what becomes of ‘Matisse’ and ‘Reubens’ for example. Yep that’s the transforming power of the Triumph Bonded Long Short.
As my colleague Lydia Turner from BodyMatters Australasia says: “The reality is women’s bodies are not limited to these shapes – trying to squeeze every woman’s bodies into them only perpetuates the idea that women’s bodies are objects to be categorized”.
If they really did want to celebrate all body types, and create an environment where women felt better about their bodies, they could start with including them in their catalogues.
The approach of Triumph – and other companies spouting body image concerns – isn’t to advocate changing the toxic culture which makes women feel bad about themselves but add to it with more products we can buy to make us look ‘better’.
Triumph is also running a competition looking for six ‘real’ women to be ‘ambassadors’ for their body type to promote the company’s new range of body shaping lingerie. We can apparently only feel better about ourselves if we look attractive and acceptable and that means ‘real’ women need to “find their shape and change using Best Body Shapewear”. As Collective Shout supporter Nicole Jameson of Adelaide points out in her March 30 letter to Triumph, it ends up being just another beauty contest – entrants’ success is dependent upon online votes with finalists then flown to Sydney for a ‘final judging session’.
Dear Triumph,
Today I was asked by a friend via Facebook if I would vote for her entry to become “an ambassador for her body shape”. Intrigued, I clicked the link and arrived at the website for your “Shape Ambassador Body Shape Competition”.
At first, I was encouraged to see a lingerie company seeking ‘real women’ to represent their product. But the more I explored your website, the more confused I became. You are seeking for women to represent “real female body shapes”, yet these women will become the public face of a product which hides and changes their bodies.
We live in a toxic culture, which promotes unnatural and unattainable standards of beauty to the detriment of the mental and physical health of millions of Australian and NZ women. Your own survey has identified that 70% of respondents are unhappy with their body, and that 82% would prefer to have a different body shape. This not a marketing opportunity – this is a tragedy. Women do not need to be sold a product which exploits our insecurities in order to help us attain false ideals – we need to be told that we are acceptable and beautiful as we are. Your competition, along with your ‘shapewear’, denies that there is beauty to be found in our ‘real’ bodies and feeds poisonous lies about what we need to do in order to be considered acceptable and attractive. It is disgracefully disingenuous of you to dress up such a hideous assault to our self-esteem in the guise of ‘body confidence’.
So no, I am not going to vote for my friend’s entry. Rather, I am going to discourage her, and everyone else I know, from entering your competition. Then I’m going to tell them that they are beautiful as they are, and don’t need to waste their money on appearance-altering underwear to cover up their ‘real’ bodies. Australian women don’t need to “find our shape and change”, Triumph. Your company, on the other hand, could apparently do with a good long look in the mirror.
Sincerely
Nicole Jameson
7 Responses
What a brilliant article! Thank you so very much for posting this. We need to hear and see more so please keep doing what you are doing.
I am a seemingly confidant feminist woman, who is outwardly proud of my brain, my ability, my creativity, my ideas.
Yet I feel cut down to size when I think about my body. My body that gave birth to 4 amazing little people that will be an asset to our world if I can help it. I know in my head that it is wrong to feel bad about my mummy tummy. My beautiful body that has been lovingly stretched and torn to give way to my growing babies. My beautiful body that carries the weight of the world on its shoulders because even though I am many things, apparently I am not perfect. Not good enough. Not pretty enough.
My biggest fear, is that I will some how. Unknowingly impart my secret negative body image onto my 2 beautiful, perfect, and untarnished little girls.
I fit none of these molds and will speak out at the checkout when I need new underwear!
That ‘Shape Report’ is appallingly manipulative. Page 6 says “The right bra makes all the difference. Men like their partner’s breasts more than she does.” Well if part B of that statement is correct then the ‘right’ bra shouldn’t matter – but the icon above this statement is of a male figure dreaming about a frilly bra – obviously designed to make women believe that the right bra is vital in attracting and/or keeping a man.
Or how about page 7? 52% of men believe “it’s acceptable to show cleavage at any time of day or on any occasion” and “Men are far more liberal when it comes to women showing cleavage at work, or anywhere.” So Triumph is now trying to convince us that objectification and sexualisation are not only okay, but desirable?? They’re not asking women to be ‘more liberal’; they asking us to buy into our own objectification. (And, presumably, buy a push-up bra.)
Thanks, Triumph, but I don’t need your brand of manipulation, especially when you disguise it as helping me ‘feel confident’. I will never feel confident if I keep hearing that I need to cover up, minimise, enhance, shape or disguise my body in order to ‘look my best’.
Another great blog piece, Melinda! How dare they exploit the body image movement just to further their marketing goals?!! SHAME on Triumph!
Advertising being presented as news like this, during all three commerical networks main news bulletin no less, is an absolute disgrace.
I have no doubt that without the vision of women in their underwear, none of them would have picked this story up.
It’s all about aspirational marketing. And the price we pay as a society is a generation of women who hate their bodies – as the Shape Report itself confirms.
And let’s not forget that the whole idea of re-labelling women’s shapes is a stunt that Triumph have done over and over again as Media Watch revealed.
Telling us that this is to make us all feel better about our shapes is disingenuous and insulting to our intelligence.
Be encouraged. We have 95 girls coming with their dolls (of normal kid shape proportions) to a party to launch an Australian adventure novel for girls on Friday night. It’s a ticketed event & not free by the way. It is above our wildest expectations and I believe is an indication that there are plenty of people who aren’t fooled and are showing their daughters another way. Thanks Melinda and others for your inspiration to work towards changing this toxic culture.
THE BALLAD OF THE UNDERWIRE BRA
I’ve always been a feminist but I’ve never burnt a bra,
With the proportions of my bosoms it would seem to go too far
To consign any useful object to the ravages of fire.
But watch out all you people who’ve come up with “UNDERWIRE”!
I’ve never had a doubt that to live a secure life,
Not get caught up in a mangle, or get into other strife,
Or bump and bang one’s knockers into every welcome guest
Most women need, with comfort, some confiner of the breast.
But hang in there – the word is “comfort “, not altitude nor thrust.
We need to have a garment that, for bobbing breasts, we trust.
Not one to give us “wundashape” or something else unnatural,
Just clothing, for confinement, that still makes “the woman” factual.
If some of us want ribbons or a little bit of glitz
Or some lace or furbelows? OK, just make jolly sure it fits.
But I, who sought utility, for many years have bought
A practical and comfy bra that sells itself “for sport”.
As years passed by and I have aged and also grown in girth,
Dearth of these bras give chic sales girls cause for merry mirth.
When I ask for “sports bras” in a voice polite, unfailing,
And they sneer, I add for courtesy, “ Just for my sport, abseiling”
For a breed of brassiere’s now crept in, first subtle, then a torrent
Replete with insidious underwire, a concept well abhorrent!
It made me wonder what had happened to good senses of our gender
That we would ever let ourselves be wired in places tender.
Wire’s worse than the dread whalebone, the curse of years of yore
For a stiffer bodice, a well braced corset. That war was won before,
And now the young think it was fought to save the bloody whale!
It was for us! You’ve got that pussy completely by the tail!
Young women say, “I like underwire. It gives me more support”
(But the wires come out, fuse the dryer – that, then, we must abort.)
They go home, strip off, “Thank goodness,” as they shed their bra.
I’m still in mine, comfortable, why all the brouhaha?
But in making a reconnaissance amongst lines of bras and offers
It hit me that the underwire is just designed to fill the coffers.
The maker and designer, delighted, employ a new sales team,
For if you’ve joined up cups by wire, you only have to sew one seam!
So my fears that feminism, via tits and bras, just took a knock
Proved groundless. For, to women, it won’t comes as any shock
That marketers, for profits conclude women’s boobs must turn
Into something shaped by metal. What a pity wire won’t burn!
Hark! Stop! Now we have a title as each breast shape we curtail!
Surprise! Named for some old masters (and all of them are male).
Rembrandt, the bra, can change your looks – and completely free of wire.
They’re “bonded” now! That glue and paint should make a great bonfire!