Why it’s time for a body positivity movement in menswear Plus size menswear is an important conversation the mainstream fashion industry is yet to explore
For the past few years, the fashion industry has been witnessing somewhat of a slow revolution as it pertains to size, as the demand for body diversity on the runway has been increasing season by season within the womenswear sector. Although it is without a doubt that there is still a lot of work to be done, the past few runway seasons have been seeing more plus size female models on the mainstream runways such as Versace, Fendi, Marni, Alexander McQueen etc. However, while the conversation is currently ongoing in the realms of the womenswear industry, progress as it pertains to body positivity in the menswear world is still a discussion that the mainstream fashion industry has been yet to explore.
Throughout the years, the approach of the general media to male body positivity hasn’t helped much in elevating the movement. It is assumed that men aren’t supposed to care about how they look, and furthermore shouldn’t be complaining, which is an issue that extends to society at large. Men are trapped by the invisible yet extremely relevant margins of masculinity – to admit weakness, discuss self-image or confess insecurity is an act of vulnerability, which men are not traditionally supposed to display, otherwise, their manhood and/or sexuality might be questioned. These standards have created a false narrative that men don’t care much about their bodies when statistics show otherwise. Men spent an estimated $55 billion on grooming products in 2019, and according to a study by The National Association for Males with Eating Disorders, 25-40% of people with all eating disorders are males and a YouGov survey shows that younger men struggle with body confidence nearly as much as young women.
The role of the fashion industry in this conversation is fundamental, not just because of the unexplored profitability that exists within the plus-size markets, but also because the industry has a responsibility in framing a more inclusive picture for the next generation. In seeing strictly muscular and/or skinny men featured in the campaigns or on runways, a young man is then told by society that this is the norm of beauty that he should therefore strive towards at all costs. According to an interview in The Guardian with psychiatrist Professor John Morgan, "boys form opinions of what a desirable body looks like at around 11 or 12 – and teaching them about diverse frames would be a preventative measure similar to visiting schools and talking about the dangers of smoking,” this is where mainstream fashion and media need to play their roles as teachers of this shift in mindset.
