Monki raises body dysmorphia awareness in new collection
BODY dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a distressing psychological condition where a person becomes very preoccupied with one or more features in physical appearance.
To further raise awareness around BDD, Swedish fashion brand Monki partners with Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation (BDDF) to launch a limited-edition underwear collection featuring positive affirmation messages. These garments hope to serve as a reminder to the wearer that they are unique, and that they are more than their reflection and what they see on the outside.
The capsule includes two mesh bras and briefs. One set features positive affirmations on the inside of the underwear for the wearer to read, but also reflected the correct way when looking at the mirror, for an instant confidence boost. The second set features various body illustrations, one of the brand’s signature prints.
As part of the ongoing partnership between Monki and BDDF, a donation is made to support BDDF’s work and expand on educational resources.
Monki will also showcase a series of personal portraits from three media volunteers who have suffered from BDD and have used their experiences to educate and inform the public about this underdiagnosed and distressing disorder.
They describe how it started, how it manifested, their lowest point, and how they have gotten to the other side. They also share advice on how to support someone potentially going through this or to someone who knows a person that is suffering from this disorder. The purpose is to enlighten inform, educate on the disorder, and encourage to seek help, and to never give up.
“The purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness of the disorder and how it affects a person’s psyche, wellbeing and self-confidence. As a brand which creates fashion for girls and young women, we have a responsibility to our community to be as inclusive and transparent as possible when it comes to body and beauty representation. Diverse casting and transparent retouch guidelines are two of the areas we have worked with since day one. That’s why this ongoing collaboration with BDDF is important to us — we strive to empower women to feel good about themselves without aspiring to unattainable norms,” said Simone Van Starkenburg, Brand & Marketing Director at Monki.
The limited-edition underwear capsule will be available beginning March.