Cosabella moves toward inclusivity with rebrand

August 3, 2021

New brand imaging and products mark a new era for the Italian lingerie company. Image courtesy of Cosabella

Italian luxury lingerie brand Cosabella is transitioning to be more inclusive of all people with new branding and product offerings as consumer values continue to shift.

Known for its artisanal quality, Cosabella has been innovating the intimate apparel category for more than 40 years, offering lingerie in fabrics like mesh, as well as extended sizing for women of all body types. Now, it is expanding its product line, styles and sizing to help all people who wear Cosabella feel confident.

"We hope this rebranding will continue to allow the brand to stand out as a leader in the intimate apparel category," said Silvia Campello, president/co-CEO of Cosabella, Miami. "This is the next step in our brand journey."

Cosabella for People
On Aug. 2, Cosabella unveiled its new logo, brand imagery, advertising and social media campaign, and began rolling out new products, styles and sizing categories both in-store at its retailers and on its website.

As part of the next step in the brand’s history, Cosabella now offers lingerie and loungewear in new sizing categories beyond women’s wear to all people regardless of shape, shade, identity, age and gender.

Eventually, this will include sleepwear, swim and intimates designed for the male body form.

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To mark the beginning of this new era, Cosabella teamed up with branding agency King & Partners. King & Partners has developed campaigns and brand strategies for Carolina Herrera, Auberge Resorts, Houlihan Lawrence and more.

Embracing Cosabella’s legacy, King & Partners developed a new brand strategy and identity that stays true to the label’s commitment to high quality and refinement while celebrating the expansion of its audience and product offerings.

"When my parents immigrated to the United States from Italy and founded Cosabella nearly 40 years ago, they never dreamt they would reach such a broad range of customers," Ms. Campello said. "We’ve always been inclusive to all women and a part of every moment of her life from teen to bridal and maternity.

"It was a natural progression for the brand to now be inclusive of all people so everyone can embrace every aspect of their body, identity and spirit when wearing Cosabella," she said. "Cosabella for People is our new brand statement moving forward and a moniker to stay with the brand."

An earthy and gender-neutral color palette is paired with a suite of new logos to be deployed across all brand touchpoints, including product and hangtags, packaging, look books, in-store and digital, advertising and social media.

According to influencer marketing platform Traackr, highlighting inclusivity and disparate body types leads to 49 percent increased social engagement. Consumers seek representation in their favorite brands, yearning for options for different ethnicities and body types.

One of the main factors affecting beauty consumers’ purchase decisions is diversity, with new research finding the majority of buyers prefer advertising that features models of varying ethnicities and body types.

According to a study by ecommerce marketing platform Yotpo, beauty shoppers’ values drive their choices, as they desire brands that are eco-friendly and inclusive (see story).

King & Partners also directed the new Cosabella campaign accompanying the rebrand.

Cosabella’s new product line includes intimates and loungewear designed for the male body form. Image courtesy of Cosabella

Shot in Bedford, New York by fashion photographer Kat Irlin, the editorial campaign features models of various shapes, race, identities, ages and genders, in celebration of the brand’s new mission.

"As a true lingerie innovator, we are excited to mark another first in the industry and usher in a new era with the expansion of our product lines, styles and sizing to help empower all people who wear Cosabella to connect with the confidence in their truest self," Ms. Campello said.

New standards
Beauty standards have been shifting over the past several years to be more inclusive of varying body types, skin tones, hair textures and more. The pandemic and social unrest of 2020 ultimately fueled consumers to prioritize inclusivity even more.

When it comes to brand affiliation, Gen Z expects and demands certain standards to be met by brands in terms of aligning with their values, according to Kyra Media.

More than a quarter, 27 percent, of respondents actively purchased a beauty product in the last six months because of its sustainable initiatives, with the environment and social justice ranking at the top of the list (see story).

As consumer values shift, so do brand strategies.

In an effort to be more transparent, LVMH-owned Sephora recently provided an update on its diversity, equality and inclusion efforts as the brand aims to offer customers more Black-owned products.

In June 2020, Sephora carried eight Black-owned brands, however, by the end of 2021, it will more than double its assortment overall, including achieving the 15 percent benchmark in prestige haircare. As of July, Sephora’s offerings include 16 Black-owned brands, and several new brands are expected to launch this fall (see story).

New York-based fashion designer Jason Wu collaborated with QVC, a long-time pioneer in size-inclusive fashion, accessories and footwear, to create a size-inclusive collection. The J Jason Wu collection launched in November 2020 at QVC.com and on the QVC apps and features all items in sizes 5X through XXS.

The Taiwanese-Canadian designer made his first live QVC appearance on Nov. 13, where he shared the inspiration for his collection, giving viewers and fans an inside look at how it all came together (see story).

"Our products are meant to empower the person wearing them regardless of shape, shade, identity, age and gender," Ms. Campello said. "People buy Cosabella for themselves whether it is to make them feel more confident or sexy, it is their choice.

"Whether it is a pair of comfortable pajamas or a sexy bra to wear all day at work, we hope to inspire everyone who chooses to wear our products."

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Cosabella moves toward inclusivity with rebrand

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