Having gone through childbirth twice, I have come to accept that the belly pouch and extra love handles won’t come off that easily. It’s a work in progress, but they are part of my curves now.
Whether a woman has gone through childbirth or not, we are all constantly reminded to love and appreciate our bodies no matter what. But manufacturers have created products that help enhance a woman’s beauty, like make-up to enhance natural features and shapewear to create a smoother silhouette and accentuate our figures.
I am most grateful that we now live in an era where shapewear is made up of seamless undergarment that hugs the body comfortably to "tuck in” bulging areas instead of corsets made with hard materials like iron.
But even so, there are minor setbacks when wearing shapewear. Some of the most common problems would be when it rolls down or up, or when visible lines appear.
Chief executive officer of Plie Malaysia, Adeline Chen tells me that shapewears tend to roll up or down when you wear a size that’s too small or tight for you.
"You have to know the right size that will give you the right fit, only then the tendency to roll up or down would be less,” she said.
Plie, is an innerwear brand from Brazil that has been brought to Malaysian shores by Adeline about two years ago. The brand has been around for 20 years, but Plie Malaysia has just celebrated its second anniversary.
An entrepreneur who was previously involved in the investment sector, Adeline ventured into the world of shapewear when she discovered there was a gap in the market for maternity shapewear.
At the time, she was in her third trimester and was looking for something that could support her belly without compromising the growth of the baby, and minimise her back ache. When she found Plie, she was sold. This led her to take the plunge and bring the brand to Malaysia.
"We rolled out the brand in Malaysia with the maternity range - and this is when customers mistook us for a maternity brand but that’s not the case.
"Plie’s range of products target women who are going through different stages of their lives. It could be young women who have just begun their menstrual cycles, women looking for the right shapewear for their wedding, women going through postpartum or post-surgery, and there’s even something for the older generation.
"Most people associate shapewear as a magic, quick-fix solution to become slim. That’s not what this is about.
"It’s about respecting your curves. But at the same time, there are health benefits to wearing shapewear.
"The compression may help to improve blood circulation and even prevent muscle cramps and lessen back aches,” she said.
"The fabric for all Pliē products is very comfortable because we work with the best yarn suppliers in the world, such as Emana and Supplex,” she says.
"As an added feature, each piece offers hydrophilic and moisture-wicking capabilities that make Pliē products even more comfortable. All our products can be worn throughout the day.”
There are several series customers can look into under Plie Malaysia - the Emana Series, Control Compression Series, Maternity Series and Nilit Innergy Sport series.
Its Emana series, for example, incorporates bioactive minerals embedded in the yarn. This world with the natural body heat, absorbing and converting it into far infrared rays, which are then emitted back to the skin, to promote several benefits.
The pieces for the Control Compression Series are developed in a stronger fabric to help promote healthy support and retention of the tissues.
TIPS FOR USING SHAPEWEAR
Adeline said that it’s perfectly fine to wear shapewear throughout the day for as long as it’s the correct size and that it is washed regularly.
That being said, products by Plie are encouraged to be hand washed instead of machine washed but more importantly, do not toss it in the dryer as it will damage certain functions.
"When you want to purchase shapewear, be sure to know your target areas. Don’t overlap two pieces together,” she said.
She also encourages customers to measure themselves correctly before buying a size too small as this is when minor malfunctions can occur.
So what’s next for Plie Malaysia? The brand will be spreading its wings, placing their hospital-grade products at a shop in Pantai Hospital, Bangsar called Bravida.
Beyond that, Adeline is hopeful to set up a proper physical retail store for customers to have a closer look and feel on what Plie is all about.