Social and Psychological Aspects

Examining Body Positivity in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Lingerie Runway Show

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Abstract

Western beauty ideals are constantly evolving, as can be observed through the advertising strategies of various fashion brands, especially lingerie brands. One brand promoting new beauty ideals is singer Rihanna's Savage X Fenty (SxF) lingerie collection, which launched in 2018. The brand has received enormous support because it utilizes models of all different shapes, ethnicities, attitudes, and sexualities in its runway shows. Therefore, this research examined the SxF runway shows and their impact on beauty ideals through the lens of body positivity. A total of 80 comments were collected and examined using a netnographic approach, then analyzed using the four stages of the constant comparison method. Four themes emerged from this data: (a) feelings of sexiness, beauty, and empowerment; (b) inclusivity; (c) the uniqueness of the performance; and (d) challenges to capitalism. The analysis found that the influence of the body positivity movement could be seen in the online comments for the SxF collection runway shows. Also, the ability of SxF to effectively compete with bigger brands, such as Victoria’s Secret.  

Keywords: Netnography, Runway shows, Beauty ideals, Body positivity

How to Cite:

Hakeem, F., (2020) “Examining Body Positivity in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Lingerie Runway Show”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 77(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.12011