The shapewear boom spawned several lines, but Spanx still owns the market when it comes to brand recognition.
Sara Blakely, Spanx’s founder, used her perky personality, rags-to-riches story and an endorsement from Oprah Winfrey to push the body-slimming product into women’s wardrobes and the pop-culture lexicon.
But there’s a Brazilian shapewear brand with another easy-to-remember, one-syllable name that’s beginning to gain traction in the U.S. market.
Enter Squeem, which was founded in 1936 by Antoine Pasos and launched in the U.S. in 2010. Pasos great grandson, Thiago Pasos, is running the business in the States and, much like other shapewear brands, has found himself in a precarious place given the body inclusivity narrative that’s percolating through fashion. According to The NPD Group, shapewear sales in the U.S. declined by double digits in 2016 to $604 million.
“The shapewear industry is in a dilemma with the body-positivity movement,” said Pasos, who is based in Orlando and joined the family business as chief executive officer in 2015. “But in our case, it’s something that has helped us a lot because we were always about loving who you are and highlighting your attributes.”
Pasos says he’s been able to appeal to retailers, consumers and celebrity stylists with sexy
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