Nude no more... M&S ditches name of shade in drive for diversity
MARKS & Spencer has dropped the shade ‘nude’ across a range of products ranging from lingerie and tights to lipstick and foundation.
The items have been reclassified as ‘opaline’ or ‘almond’ instead as part of a move to improve inclusivity and diversity. It is designed to combat assumptions about colour, for example that nude should automatically represent a white person’s skin.
The shade has been replaced on the company’s website for hundreds of products. For the Stila stay all-day liquid lipstick, for example, the site states: ‘We’ve been reviewing our product and colour names in line with our commitment to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
‘We’re removing any names that we don’t believe reflect this commitment. This product used to have a variant called nude which we have amended to almond.’
Meanwhile, lingerie previously labelled as nude is now described as opaline. These include the firm’s sumptuously soft T-shirt bra and the Rosie silk and lace bra set.
The Autograph ladder resist stockings are also being relabelled. In addition to nude, other shades have been dropped. For example, rose quartz has replaced natural tan and rich quartz is used instead of cocoa. Tobacco is now topaz, while both suntan and cinnamon are now rich amber.
The Oxford English Dictionary has defined the colour nude as a ‘pale pinkishbeige’ – but this view is changing. Campaigners in the US have been leading efforts to redefine the word to explain that it is a colour that matches the wearer’s skin tone, giving the appearance of nudity.
M&S said: ‘We’re always looking at our products to see how we can make our offer more relevant for all of our customers.’