On April 12, the Grammy Award-winning musician and performer announced the debut of the shapewear brand Yitty in collaboration with Fabletics, Inc. Bodysuits, basic shorts, tank tops, long bodysuits, and many more styles are part of this product line.

Actual name The 33-year-old singer, rapper, and composer Melissa Viviane Jefferson is well-known for her songs supporting women’s empowerment, such as “Truth Hurts” and “Batches and Cookies.” They both promote assertiveness and self-love in the same way. Additionally, her range of shaping products reflects this.

“I spent my whole life trying to change the way I looked or reshape my body ” says Lizzo, who was on Forbes ‘ 30 Under 30 list  in 2018. “… just like that I had to endure suffering to force my body to become beautiful according to standards. Since I was in fifth or sixth grade, I wore shapewear – both corsets and tights – for a long time. It’s really painful, I feel like I shouldn’t do that. We should not be ashamed of our bodies nor should we have to wear these tight clothes to feel beautiful.”

Through Yitty, Lizzo aims to shift the narrative around shapewear with a variety of color and neutral options. “What’s really different about Yitty is that we’re designing collections with bold colors and over-the-top prints. Technically designed, the Yitty suit can be worn as undergarment and is cute enough to wear on its own.”

The partnership with Fabletics began five years ago when Lizzo met co-founder Don Ressler. “When I shared with him my vision for reinventing shapewear, he believed in the idea immediately ” she said. They officially started building the company in 2019 with Kristen Dykstra, director of marketing at Fabletics, now president of Yitty.

The inspiration behind the brand’s name stems from Lizzo’s childhood. “Yitty is the nickname my aunt gave me when I was young. She is a well-rounded woman and one of the most amazing people ever with her bold, beautiful spirit. I wanted to express that energy in this brand.”

“I’m involved in almost every design process ” Lizzo said. “I look at fabrics, choose colors, and try on each piece of fabric many times throughout the design and assembly process.”

“We partnered with Lizzo because we saw her vision to revolutionize shapewear with a positive message of changing body norms”  said Adam Rosenberg, co-founder of Fabletics. He and Lizzo declined to provide further information about the amount of investment or the entertainer’s stake in the company.

Lizzo developed Yitty out of more passion for expressing fashion trends. “I get bored of seeing this sad, restrictive shapewear that literally no one wants to wear. I often think like, ‘who can really change them?’ I’m waiting for someone who can discuss outfits that are worn by many people. They are uncomfortable. Eventually, I started creating my own body shapers because I had a clear sense of the areas that needed to be shaped or hugged. “

Branding Yitty as inner and outerwear conveys Lizzo’s body positive and inclusive message. “Being able to wear these styles as inner and outer underwear empowers people to wear the products the way they want and how they feel. “They also help people feel comfortable exposing themselves if they wear them as an under layer. Traditional shapewear is meant to conceal when worn. They’re not cute. Boring colors. It would be embarrassing if you accidentally let it out. But with Yitty, it’s fun to reveal colors or patterns! We’re taking the shame out of shapewear after creating the excitement of wearing it fashionably. “