Feldstein for inclusive fashion
Universal Standard (US), an inclusive fashion clothing retailer of minimalist aesthetic and high-end fabrics, was founded by Alexandra Waldman and Polina Veksler in 2015 (Segran, 2018). Guided by their motto ‘all of us, as we are,’ they set out to make fashion more accessible and representative of all forms (Hui-Miller, 2020). Today US is considered the world’s most inclusive brand, with every product in their collection available in sizes 00–40.
One of the brilliant ways that US strives to realize their vision of ‘revolutionary inclusivity’ is through their Fit Liberty shopping program. The program allows you to replace any item from their Fit Liberty Collection with a different size if your size should change. US boasts that the program “gives you the freedom to change sizes without fear, anxiety, or added expense.” Additionally, US introduced the See It In Your Size tool on their website that gives customers the option to see how pieces look on a person in their size (Sciarretto, 2019).
Since their inception in 2015, social media has been vital to US’s efforts to market their inclusive brand. US has a social media presence on Instagram (IG), Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, with the most followers (142k) and engagement found on IG. Something they do exceptionally well on IG is showcasing their fashions in beautiful portraits of people of various shapes, sizes, and colors — further emphasizing their commitment to inclusivity. They have also encouraged the use of US exclusive hashtags like #universalstandard, #usinthewild, #fashionfreedom, and #denimfreedom as a way to boost engagement and build a community of body positivity and fashion inclusivity on IG.
US understands the benefits that can be gained from collaborations with influencers. In 2017 they partnered with three top models and actress Danielle Brooks to draw attention to new collections. Today they have a paid influencer program where they collaborate with influencers with no less than 5k followers which has made it possible for US to expand its reach and given them access to a plethora of user generated content like the above image from theplussideofme.
While US’s influencer program is a successful marketing tool, I would like to propose a potential influencer for a future collaboration who I believe perfectly represents the brand, Beanie Feldstein. Beanie Feldstein is an actress and singer known for her roles in films like Booksmart and Lady Bird as well as her portrayal of Minnie Fay in the 2017 production of Hello, Dolly! She also happens to be the sister of actor Jonah Hill. She would make a great US influencer for the following reasons:
- Her career as a performer has given her a platform and a sizeable following of 445k followers.
- She refuses to be held to the typical standards of beauty which she discusses in her piece on Refinery29.
- Much like US, Feldstein uses social media to advocate for various social causes, like Black Lives Matter, voting rights, and equality for the LGBTQ community.
- Her off the carpet fashion is simple, fuss-free, and minimalistic, which is in line with the US aesthetic.
Part of the challenge of working with Feldstein will be determining length of the partnership and the post frequency expectation. Since she has an active career, she might want lots of flexibility in terms of how often she is willing to post. However, she may be inclined to sign on for a long-term partnership if it shines a light on social justice issues that she cares about. Furthermore, the beauty of Feldstein’s IG account is her authenticity. She may want to ensure total creative freedom to preserve the authenticity of her account, something US probably won’t discourage.
Universal Standard insists that every body matters. Therefore, their influencer collaborations should represent this ideal. In addition to being talented and beautiful, Beanie Feldstein is body-positive, non-conformist, and benevolent. She doesn’t think that an industry should dictate your self-worth and body image. These qualities make her the perfect US influencer.
References
Hui-Miller, J. (2020, September 29). VIDEO: Say hello to the world’s most inclusive brand, Universal Standard. https://insideretail.asia/2020/09/29/video-say-hello-to-the-worlds-most-inclusive-brand-universal-standard/
Sciarretto, A. (2019, March 22). Universal Standard Will Now Let You See ALL The Brand’s Jeans On Models Who Are Your Exact Size. https://www.bustle.com/p/universal-standards-see-it-in-your-size-tool-shows-all-the-brands-jeans-on-models-who-are-your-exact-size-exclusive-16977227
Segran, E. (2018, August 9). Universal Standard revolutionized plus-size fashion — now it wants to end it. https://www.fastcompany.com/90205496/daring-to-scale-downward
