Social media is an integral part of business & marketing and is a pass-time for many millennials and gen-Z users, but the negative effects of unrealistic beauty standards displayed on social media cannot be ignored. There have been several studies conducted to survey these effects, with one revealing a group of female students reporting the tendency to negatively compare their own appearance to their peers and celebrities. Natalie Servello, founder of Unlabelled Ltd., revealed similar information in a book she wrote for her thesis while in school. With the facts of how unrealistic beauty standards perpetuate a myriad of negative effects on society, combined with her own personal experiences, she turned her thesis into an inclusive clothing brand.
Unlabelled Ltd. is a diverse and inclusive clothing brand trying to redefine beauty standards, remove labels of beauty, and offer pieces that allow their customers to represent their authentic selves. Growing up, Natalie and her sister experienced the brunt of the beauty standards upheld by society; often excluding diversity in size, race, and sexual orientation, the conventional ideals of beauty often pressure people to conform and reduce their identities in the process. Natalie and the team at Unlabelled wanted to create a brand that people could relate to, where everybody can be represented.
The brand carries sizes XS-3X, with every piece now made of stretchy, knit-based, natural fibres. They plan to extend the size range to 5X in the spring, to make their collection available for more women. Originally starting with fashion pieces, Natalie spent three to four years trying every sample for fit — she wanted to ensure the dimensions were true-to-size, to remove the anxiety that women feel when not finding a true fit.
Unlabelled only launched in 2020 and is already amassing much success — focusing on loungewear pieces that could be worn out for any occasion has boded well for the brand, especially during the pandemic lockdowns. The team at Unlabelled truly believes in the ethos of the brand: of appreciating all forms of beauty for what it is, free of any labels. Tired of seeing the same ideal of beauty flaunted in the media, the Unlabelled team chose to curate a collection for fashionable women to unapologetically be themselves.
As they progress, Unlabelled is expanding their brand to include lifestyle pieces — integrating the ethos of expressing your authenticity into every aspect of your life. Natalie is excited for where this will lead and has hopes to take the Unlabelled community to new heights beyond just beauty and lifestyle. Envisioning this network of women in non-profit sectors, Unlabelled would be a catalyst for female-youth development in education, job training, dressing for success, and so much more. Natalie sees them focusing on a different foundation every month, so they can help more people and expand their network.
There’s no telling where this journey will take them, but the trend of authenticity is picking up speed and shows no signs of stopping. Unlabelled seems destined for greener pastures and is on the right track to achieving success among the greats.
