Maadhav Saxena
06-Feb-2026
Shapewear is all set to become the new denim – and we have decoded that for you!
Inputs Maadhav Saxena, Fouder, Invouge Shapewear
For decades, denim has been the great equaliser in Indian wardrobes. It adapted effortlessly to age, body type, occasion, and mood, becoming a second skin for everyday life. Today, a similar shift is underway with shapewear. Once viewed as an occasional fix, it is fast becoming what I call India’s next skin, a foundational layer that supports modern dressing rather than transforming the body.
This change reflects a deeper evolution in how Indian women relate to comfort and self-expression. Shapewear is no longer about restriction or concealment. It has moved beyond the idea of forcing the body into a prescribed silhouette. Instead, it offers varying levels of compression and support, allowing women to choose what feels right for their lifestyle whether that means long workdays, travel, or simply moving through the city with ease.
What has enabled this transition is comfort-first innovation. Advances in performance fabrics, breathable blends, and seamless construction have redefined wearability. Modern shapewear is lightweight, flexible, and designed to move with the body, making it suitable for extended wear. Much like denim evolved from rigid workwear to stretchable, lifestyle-friendly fits, shapewear has undergone a similar reinvention quietly becoming something women reach for every day.
Fashion trends have also accelerated this shift. Body-skimming dresses, co-ord sets, tailored blazers, and contemporary sarees demand smoother layering and enhanced support without compromising movement. Shapewear works in the background, improving fit and confidence while remaining invisible. It doesn’t change the outfit- it completes it.
(Invouge Shapewear)
Most importantly, the emotional narrative around shapewear has changed. Earlier, it was often associated with guilt or body correction. Today, women choose shapewear as a personal comfort decision, not to meet external expectations. The focus has moved from transformation to support, from hiding to feeling at ease in one’s natural shape.
That is why shapewear is following the path denim once did. It is becoming universal, habitual, and deeply personal. When thoughtfully designed, shapewear stops being a special-occasion solution and becomes an everyday essential- India’s next skin, worn not to fit in, but to feel confident in one’s own body.
Cover Credits: Instagram @invogueshop.ind
