From Angels To Allure

From Angels to Allure

For century after century, decade after decade, year after year, “sex appeal” has changed and evolved from culture to culture.  Curvy women were the norm and beauty was in the eye of the beholder.  From impressionist Peter Paul Ruben’s, “The Judgement of Paris” to Renoir’s “The Bathers,” you see women in their natural form and they were beautiful.

Renoir's "The Bathers."

Over the years, the imagery changed.  Fashion trends and commercialism demanded that a woman’s body become more lean and trim.  This, in turn, pushed designers and manufacturers to narrow their scope and size ranges thereby making fashion and even every-day pieces less available to the general public.  This is where Allure Intimate Apparel was born.

Started in 2003, Allure saw the need for not only higher end undergarments and lingerie for smaller women, but instead, an obligation to fit every woman.  We had countless friends who would walk into not only lingerie stores but all kinds of stores and they would not have one single thing in their size to try on.  They’d feel ashamed and horrible.  It was heartbreaking. 

Now, in recent news, we are seeing this very backlash against places like Victoria's Secret.  What took so long?  Why now?  They are “rebranding” themselves?  Amy Hauk, Pink’s Chief Executive, reportedly referred to their newest, curvier models as “real girls.”  Were their skinnier models of the past not real?  She also added that she “liked the diversity.”  Is this not interesting that they are doing this now as a “rebrand” when in reality, it’s not about diversity.  It’s about their bottom line.  It’s about survival. 

Allure’s bottom line has always been about “all shapes and all sizes.”  For 17 years, Allure has believed that sex appeal, confidence and beauty comes from within, not just “angels.”  All women are beautiful.  “From Petite To Plus” and “For EVERY Woman” has been Allure’s mantra since inception to this very day.  While we feel that the general public is seeing through Victoria Secret’s lack of transparency and disingenuousness, Allure Intimate Apparel has been crystal clear since day one.

Peter O’Malley

Co-Founder