M&S launches new diversified collection of 'nude' underwear alongside inclusivity campaign

M&S has expanded its 'nude' lingerie collection to suit a wider range of skin tones, launching a range of new colours. 

The British high street retailer admitted that the terms "nude" and "neutral" are commonly used to describe lighter skin tones, and that its selection was "inconsistent and inadequate for all ethnicities".

To promote the collection, the store has launched a campaign entitled "Nothing Neutral About It" which will feature models of various sizes, body types, and ethnicities.

To coincide with the shift toward diversity, M&S announced the launch of a new neutrals collection across its bestselling five shades: opaline, rich amber, rich quartz, rose quartz, and topaz.

The rebranding of the various colours was also a deliberate decision in response to client comments on industry standard colour names.

Laura Charles, M&S's director of lingerie, said, “We listened when our customers and colleagues told us we hadn’t got it right when it came to colour choices in lingerie; both in the choices available and the way we talked about the neutral shades."

The new neutrals collection includes the Body Smoothing T-Shirt bras and No VPL knickers, Wildblooms lace bras and knickers, and the Rosie silk & lace bras and knickers.

M&S 'Nothing Neutral About It' Underwear 
M&S says, "Nothing Neutral About It is all about choice, confidence and having the freedom to complement or contrast your individual skin tone in a way that suits your personal style."

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M&S released a statement along with the new drop, which read, "The crystal and gemstone theme signifies things that are special and precious and was selected with the Culture and Heritage network to reflect the shades."

The neutrals option is also being piloted in M&S's First Bra range, as Laura Charles added, "The global conversations around race and equality over the last 12 months spurred us to go faster in creating a better, more inclusive range.

"From the product offer to the names, to the marketing, we’ve worked hand in hand with our colleague culture and heritage network to deliver a campaign we’re proud of and an underwear range that provides more colours, more sizes and more choice so that all of our customers have the freedom to complement or contrast with their individual skin tone in a way that suits their own personal style."