Body as Brand: The Dark Side of Fashion Marketing
The Rise of Body as Brand
Last week, a 60-foot inflatable Kim Kardashian took to New York’s Times Square, laying on her side for masses of passersby to ogle. Promoting her clothing essentials brand, SKIMS, the unexpected stunt caused controversy and confusion online. However, to me, it’s a prime example of one of fashion’s biggest marketing trends – body as brand.
Sex Sells
Sex sells. While it’s an archaic marketing phrase that gives me an unshakable ick, it’s been an undeniable fact in the branding sphere for decades, palatably repackaged in 2025 for the modern audience. Kim Kardashian is more than SKIMS’ glamorized clotheshorse – a brand in itself, her body is the essence of its constructed fantasy of luxury.
A Brand in Itself
SKIMS is a dichotomy – a stripped-back brand with a faux approachability, marketed by a sea of unblemished celebrity skin. Featuring sports stars, supermodels, and Miss Kardashian herself, SKIMS’ ads aren’t about the garments, but the flesh beneath them. To the viewer, each glossy SKIMS campaign is a promise – you too can look like this, all it takes is this $128 shapewear. Leveraging the insecurity of the consumer, body as brand marketing is more disturbing than it seems – even the most astute of us who feel we’re immune to influencer marketing can fall for its seductions.
The Campaign
The strategic concealment of Kim’s face only reinforces the brand’s faux relatability, the idea that anyone can be a SKIMSfluencer. The brand has never been about Kim herself, but her body and what it represents – an unachievable refinement that feels just within reach, but only with a helping hand from the brand.
The Commercial Fashion Industry
The commercial fashion industry is desperate to strike a balance between the allure of impossible perfection and consumer-friendly reliability – you only have to look at PrettyLittleThing’s "quiet luxury" rebrand to see its effects. In essence, this marketing trend repurposes the fantasy found in the archaic ‘selling sex’ technique, using body as brand to captivate insecurity and spoon-feed consumers the solution.
Conclusion
The rise of body as brand marketing is a concerning trend that plays on our insecurities and reinforces the notion that perfection is within reach. As consumers, we must be aware of these tactics and hold brands accountable for their role in perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is body as brand marketing?
A: Body as brand marketing is a marketing trend that uses the physical body as a product or service to promote a brand or product.
Q: What is the purpose of body as brand marketing?
A: The purpose of body as brand marketing is to captivate and manipulate consumers, often by playing on their insecurities and promoting an unattainable beauty standard.
Q: Is body as brand marketing effective?
A: Yes, body as brand marketing can be highly effective, as it often leverages our deep-seated desires for perfection and self-improvement.
Q: How can I avoid falling for body as brand marketing?
A: To avoid falling for body as brand marketing, it’s essential to be aware of the tactics used and to critically evaluate the messages and messages presented.
