Gravitas Believes That Empowerment Is One Size Fits All

Inclusive sizing in fashion is no longer the magical unicorn it used to be, and several brands have popped up over the past few years that offer on-trend pieces, whether they’re for the office or an extra-long brunch.

Gravitas is one such brand—this Oprah favorite is a DTC apparel line that builds shapewear into their pieces, sewn into every garment discreetly. They’ve even done away with traditional sizes in their own way; for starters, they don’t say plus-size, and while their clothes range in fit from 0-26w, you won’t find a number on the tag, just a word that begins with one of the letters in Gravitas.

Founded by Lisa Sun, the fashion line was named as such because a former boss of hers once told her she needed to have a little more gravitas during a review and that if she wanted to better herself, she had to wake up every morning, look in the mirror, and genuinely like the person she is.

When you strip the brand down to its roots, it’s that feeling of empowerment—really loving yourself—that’s at the heart of the brand. And that was also why they tapped Beardwood&Co. for an assist when it came to their branding and identity. 

Unboxing is critical for any DTC brands, and they wanted an experience that spoke to the value of the product but still distinctly elevated them, while also communicating how they built their shapewear into each one of their pieces. And not just for the at-home experience, they also needed something for retailers as they have partnerships with Lord & Taylor, as well as other styling events around the globe where they need to present their designer garments.

They achieved this by designing a hangtag system that educated shoppers about the products they were holding, but also doles out nuggets of inspiration, like Frida Kahlo’s “I paint self-portraits because I am the person I know best.”

"’Own Your Moment’ and ‘You Beyond Doubt’ were part of the brand's DNA, but we brought them to the forefront of the unboxing experience,” Sarah Williams, creative director of Beardwood&Co. says. “We thought the idea of starting with an affirmation could be powerful and get women in the right mindset to try on their new clothing." 

They also wanted shoppers to feel like they were getting a personal styling session from the founder in their own home. “On the packaging interior, inserts, and stickers, we wanted to make sure Lisa Sun's voice was part of the experience,” Sarah adds. “Phrases like ‘We can't wait to see what you do in this’ and ‘Don't stress, this'll be fun’ are the types of encouragement that Lisa gives when she is doing one-on-one sessions with her clients. For the hangtags we built in easy to understand information about the built-in features of each garment, so women know all of Lisa's tips and tricks for making the clothes super wearable.”

But Gravitas’ work isn’t just limited to making women feel beautiful inside and out, as a portion of their profits go to organizations like Dress for Success, a not-for-profit group that supports women and their career development by providing them with professional attire so they can secure employment and achieve long term economic independence.

Creating an elevated experience without the showroom floor can be complicated for a brand without a traditional retail presence, but if you can make a buyer feel like they’re getting the boutique experience in their home while throwing in some inspirational juju, you can build a lasting relationship.