What is Savage x Fenty?

If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve probably seen atleast one post or story about the SavagexFenty show on Amazon Prime. I had no idea it was happening until I saw a story on Instagram, but I am so glad I did! The show definitely reinvented what a fashion show should look like.

Rather than the typical runway with models walking through, this show took it to the next level. From powerful choreography, innovative stage design, a diverse set of artists, and body inclusive models, the show had it all.

For those of you (like myself) who don’t know much about Fenty, here’s a quick breakdown. This brand established by Rihanna is all about fearlessness, confidence, and inclusivity created. There is a wide selection of lingerie for different body types. With this show, Rihanna decided to take a more creative approach to the traditional runway fashion show. She used it to make a powerful statement on body inclusivity. Before we dive into the 2020 show, let’s take a look a the 2019 show. The premiere SavagexFenty show.

“Every woman deserves to feel sexy. We are sexy, we are multi-faceted, and I want women to embrace that to the fullest.”

Rihanna

The 2019 Savage x Fenty show

Let’s face it, many of us grew up thinking models were tall, slim, and basically “perfect.” We thought they had light skin, perfect bone structure, and never missed a step. That image didn’t just stay within our childhood, unfortunately. Many of these ideals are still seen in today’s society, especially in the world of fashion. This show was all about breaking those stereotypes and putting a range of women on the stage. A more relatable, diverse group.

This show was all about celebrating the diversity between women’s bodies. This included different races, ethnicities, sizes, disabled, and trans women. It took the lens of the woman and gave the opportunity to regain the sexual narrative. Women were able to take control of their sexuality and flaunt it on that stage. It really paved the way for more inclusivity, but Rihanna took it even further in her 2020 show.

Powerful body inclusivity in 2020

Due to COVID19, the show was recorded and shown on Amazon Prime. There were many really powerful moments throughout the show, but there were a few that really stood out. First, Lizzo had a strong performance in the soulful classic “Brown Sugar” by D’Angelo. She performed dressed in a monochromatic royal blue piece with blue lace gloves, a blue bra and underwear set, and matching nails. Her performance was captivating and powerful, with a sense of self-love you cannot deny.

Male body inclusivity

The other powerful element in the show was seeing the inclusivity within male bodies. On social media, we have seen an increase in body inclusivity for women, especially on Tik Tok and Instagram. The fight is far from over; however, body positivity for women is definitely on the rise. But how about the men? Most men are left out of the body inclusivity conversation. The SavagexFenty show made sure to bring the conversation forward. The show featured a plus-size male model named Steven G modeling boxer briefs. This is a step towards normalizing plus-size male models. Even more significant was the fact that his images were not on a separate “plus-size” section on their website. They were featured under the general male underwear section.

In an interview with Priya Elan from The Guardian, Steven G said, “I contacted my agent a few times to verify they’d actually seen me,” when he got the job. He reported finding it difficult to find big and tall selections for men in most retail stores. He also said that men are shamed for having a “dad bod,” such as Zac Efron recently.

“The message society sends to the plus-size community is ultimately to diminish your confidence until you are a decent size, and then you can showcase yourself, and that’s not OK.”

Steven G

Now what?

When looking at the show as a whole, it takes a leap forward in the fashion industry. Savage x Fenty has taken the previously Victoria’s Secret dominated lingerie industry by storm. Body inclusivity is on the rise. Unless brands learn to change with the times, they’ll be lost on the way. The times where models were white, cis-gender, slim women are fading. The norm in fashion is moving towards real norms. Real people for real clothing, not unattainable standards. I am excited to see the day when the term “average” becomes arbitrary. The new average should be our unique body types along a spectrum, with no ideal.

If you haven’t already, I would highly recommend watching the SavagexFenty shows on Amazon prime. You won’t be disappointed.

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