Why Brown is Such an Important Neutral

For too long in the lingerie industry, the term "nude" has been in reference to anything light beige in color. This is problematic for obvious reasons and it is astounding that it remained the norm until recently.

Over the past few years in particular, we've seen independent, female-owned brands lead the way to greater inclusivity by way of shape, size, and color. Where the lingerie industry once focused on satisfying the male gaze, now we are seeing designers create pieces with their female consumers in mind.

One of the first undergarment brands that specifically catered to Women of Color is Nubian Skin. Ade Hassan, MBE, founder of the brand, created Nubian Skin when she grew frustrated at her inability to find suitable basics to match her skin tone in lingerie and hosiery departments. Nubian Skin redefined the term "nude" within the lingerie industry and made many established designers take note in the ways they were failing. With Hassan's hard work, we are beginning to see many brands move away from one all-encompassing skin tone to include a multitude of colors and shades within their basics lineup.

While there are still great strides to be made toward inclusivity, especially in the lingerie industry, it is exciting to see real-time changes being made toward a more inclusive and progressive future.