Slim and trim with Spanx

Tyra Banks, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett have one thing in common and it’s not being a celebrity. These ladies all have their butts covered with Spanx, sometimes referred to as Hollywood’s “Slim-Fitting Little Secret”.
“When Oprah named Spanx a ‘favourite thing’ on her show, that was a huge deal. Then Gwyneth Paltrow told the press that she wore Spanx on the red carpet, and ever since then celebrities have been proudly mentioning their Spanx along with their dress designer,” says Spanx founder Sara Blakely.
Blakely was inspired to create Spanx in 1998 by her dislike of the VPL (visible panty line) and uncomfortable thongs. She was getting ready for a party when she realised she didn't have the right undergarment to provide a blemish-free look under white pants. Sara cut the feet off her control top pantyhose and that gave birth to the Spanx revolution.
The brand now boasts more than 200 products ranging from slimming apparel and swimsuits, to bras, activewear and men's undershirts, and has outlets in more than 50 countries.
But it wasn’t until an advertising executive came up with the tagline “Don’t worry, we’ve got your butt covered!" that Spanx became a household name.
“All across the globe, women share at least one thing in common: we want our backsides to look slimmer, firmer and panty-line-free!” Blakely explains.
“Spanx has been overwhelmed with requests from fashion-forward women around the world, asking us to bring our shaping secrets overseas and we’re thrilled to be launching in Thailand.”
Jasmine Ruanglertbutr, Director of Peppo Fashions Group, distributor of such international fashion brands as Guess, Mango and Spanx, also gets her butt covered with Spanx.
“I was passionate about Spanx. I was one of the first to wear it years ago when it was first launched and I saw for myself that not only were there any no embarrassing underwear lines but it shaped my body. It is a product that doesn’t just talk, it works! My friends used to ask what I was wearing around my dress that kept my stomach so flat and when I told them, they’d shower me with orders for Spanx on annual trips back to the US,” she says.
“Spanx are not like normal corsets or stays. The garment makes you look nice but also allows you to breathe. The fabric is a bit thick but it is very comfortable. For Asia, we have some product lines that use thinner fabric like the one I am wearing today. When I travel to foreign countries where they have four seasons, I choose the thicker ones but when I am in Thailand I wear the thinner ones,” Jasmine says, as she pulls her skirt up above her knees and flashes her skinny Spanx.
“At Spanx, we’re committed to creating products that provide both results and comfort, so we launched the Skinny Britches line – it’s lightweight shaping that’s powerful enough to tame the tummy, hips and thighs but cool enough to wear all year round,” Blakely adds.
She’s also quick to point out that Spanx were never designed to make women look smaller but to help them look and feel better in their clothes no matter what size they are.
“I was a Size 2 when I invented Spanx because I wanted an undergarment that eliminated visible panty lines, masked a little bit of cellulite, and created a seamless silhouette. It wasn’t about appearing a size smaller, although many women love Spanx for that reason. It’s all about your personal preference. We create innovative, problem-solving products for women of all shapes and sizes,” she says.
“Women with an athletic build should look for high-waisted shapers that create an hourglass silhouette. For a round tummy, try Spanx shapers with tummy targeting panels like Higher Power. If you are looking for extra thigh slimming, choose a mid-thigh shaper as opposed to a boy short style for more coverage and compression. To eliminate the dreaded cottage cheese effect (aka cellulite), opt for a shaper that gives you the most coverage of your thighs, hips and rear,” she continues.
“Any woman can wear Spanx. not just the bigger size woman. It is like a concealer. You use concealer or foundation to make you look good when you wear make-up. Spanx is like foundation but in cloth. That’s the way I see it,” says Jasmine.

- Spanx products are available in Bangkok in the lingerie sections of Siam Paragon, the Emporium and The Mall Bang Kapi.