Can Kusha Kapila’s Underneat out-squeeze the competition?

No one quite understands trauma like a woman in a mall trial room trying her best to squeeze her body into a pair of tummy-control shorts while she sweats under the gaze of the harsh white light that seems to highlight every bit of chub in the mirror. And just when you are done packing everything into place, you have to contort your body in unimaginable ways to shimmy out of the contraption that has you trapped like an unholy sausage. By the end of it, you are left wondering if wearing shapewear is less of a fashion choice and more like a necessary evil, the secret penance for daring to exist in a body that doesn’t fit into what society sees as the ‘ideal’ form.

But 2019 saw a seismic shift in the shapewear industry. The Kardashians, bless their entrepreneurial hearts, certainly contributed to the rise of the innerwear-as-outerwear movement, taking it from niche undergarment to topic of mainstream fashion and pop-culture discourse. While their penchant for restrictive waist trainers that resembled Victorian-era corsets is ground for being cancelled on the internet, Kim Kardashian turned the negative tirade into what can only be considered the biggest shapewear giant in the world currently—Skims.

Thanks to a potent cocktail of savvy marketing, undeniable quality, and a relentless stream of viral moments, Skims has become the brand to beat when it comes to innerwear. The company is currently valued at $4 billion and might see an IPO happening soon enough. It’s almost as if Spanx, the OG of uncomfortable compressions, walked just so the likes of Skims could run. And now, there’s a new Indian contender in the market that also wants a piece of that profitable pie, one that I was immediately ready to put to the test.

Enter Underneat, content creator Kusha Kapila’s newest venture, aiming to buy into that same kind of virality and redefine shapewear for the average Indian consumer. With a portfolio of 12 core products, all of which offer tummy control, butt-lifting and contouring, minus the headache, Underneat is stepping into a market that is anything but bland. The global shapewear market which is valued at around $2.3 billion in 2022, is projected to reach over $3.9 billion in 2030. In India, it is estimated to reach $131.2 million by 2028, which might not be huge, but is in stark contrast to the $65.7 million it was at in 2020. It’s small, but it is ripe for disruption, and the question on our mind is: can Underneat deliver the same snatched and seamless experience that Skims has popularised?

There’s no better way to find out than by testing it out, and so I subjected Underneat’s offerings to a rigorous, real-life trial comparing it to the gold standard. Much like Skims, Underneat also relies on a blend of nylon and elastane, the only difference being in the percentages, with Skims boasting a higher elastane content for that ultra-stretchy, second-skin feel. Underneat’s blend aims for a similar effect, offering a snug yet surprisingly comfortable compression.

For my first trial, I went all out and decided to test out Underneat’s Brief Bodysuit by wearing it to the Guns ‘N’ Roses concert in Mumbai on an extremely humid May evening. Verdict? Surprisingly comfy. There is no dreaded boning, which allowed uninhibited movement, which is great for anyone who has ever felt like a trussed-up turkey in shapewear. My only complaint? Nylon isn’t the best fabric choice for the Indian climate. And while the bodysuit did help wick away a bit of the condensation, it wasn’t entirely helpful. A thoughtful detail, clearly designed by women for women, was the inclusion of snap enclosures, which allows you to ‘do your business in peace’ without the whole act of disrobing while you are desperate to pee.

On its website, the brand promises that the products can be used on a regular basis, so my next course of action was to try out the Strapless Butt Lifting Bodysuit at home while I went about doing my regular chores. Did my derriere look like it could break the internet? Debatable. Did it make it look like I got a BBL? Also, debatable. But it did give it a slight perkiness, which I wasn’t mad about. Besides the fact that I personally hate strapless garments, this product fared pretty well throughout the day.

The true litmus test, however, was wearing the High Waist Tummy Control Shorts to brunch with my friends. Could I eat comfortably without feeling like a sausage about to burst? Dear reader, I am happy to report that I could. It didn’t give me the dreaded muffin top, and breathing in it didn’t feel like a competitive sport. The snug fit kept everything in place, offering a relatively smooth silhouette. The fabric, which is slightly on the thicker side, doesn’t feel like a straitjacket and doesn’t behind leave angry red marks, even after hours of wear.

So, where does Underneat come in? It’s definitely a promising contender in an Indian market that is desperate for innovation and comfort. It understands that the meaning of shapewear is not to constrict and hide but to enhance and provide comfort. While Skims has shown us what’s possible, Underneat offers a compelling alternative that embodies the evolution of shapewear. For a brand that is ready to lead India’s shapewear renaissance, ditching the last vestiges of beige for a riot of colour would be the ideal sartorial mic drop.