The rise of 'menstrual fashion': Would you wear period-print trousers?
Conscious clothing and lifestyle brand Lucy & Yak are continuing their mission to challenge vulva stigma and promote period positivity with a new, limited-edition ‘Period Edit’ of clothing.
The brand, which saw great success when it first launched its limited-edition Vulva dungarees in 2020, is collaborating with two artists to bring customers two new eye-catching prints across their signature styles.
Lucy & Yak have tapped two talented artists for the collection: Kelly Malka, a Los Angeles-based illustrator who creates colourful, yet meaningful prints, and Sam Dawood, a UK-based sculptor by trade who plays with the female form in clay to spark conversations about women’s bodies, including creating a giant sparkly tampon for the charity Bloody Good Period.
Malka’s playful ‘Vulvarees’ feature several different colourful fruits to represent the female form and highlight how “no one vulva is the same”.
Dawood has swapped out her usual 3D multimedia platform and turned her hand as a transgressive sculptor to the 2D by collaborating with Lucy & Yaks design team to create the ‘Period’ print for the first time in the new, limited-edition collection.
The vibrant red colour palette set out to be eye-catching but also to spark conversation, with the illustrations of menstrual cups and tampons adorning the print.
Read more: Superdrug launches range of sanitary products for 'people who menstruate'
The trouser style – based on the brand’s signature loose-fitting Alexa trousers – is purposefully genderless, promoting the idea that period conversations are not just for women, or those who identify as women, but its a conversation that everyone should be having.
Alongside the two print launches, Lucy & Yak are taking to social media and hosting events to spark the conversations around vulva stigma and period positivity.
The brand will also be making donations to not-for-profit organisations such as Hey Girls, a social enterprise on a mission to eradicate UK period poverty, improve access to quality products and increase education around period health.
Read more: Health brand launches womb-shaped cereal to break period stigma
“We’re so excited to launch our second Vulvarees edit,” said Lucy Greenwood, founder of Lucy & Yak in a release, “to continue to raise awareness of topics which can still be considered taboo, even in 2022.”
Lucy & Yak has talked openly in its campaign about the effect on the cost of living crisis on those who menstruate, with millions forced to make difficult choices surrounding period products, and the underrepresentation of transgender and nonbinary menstruators.
The brand believes it's important for them “to play their part in encouraging more open, honest and inclusive conversations.”
Read more: Bodyform's advert is the boundary-breaking period campaign women have been waiting for
“I remember when I got my first period and how mortified I felt,” added Greenwood, “it always turns up when you’re unprepared, I’m not even sure anyone had warned me it would happen, so you can imagine my surprise and panic!
I’m all for a world where no one has to feel ashamed or embarrassed about something as normal as bleeding.”
The new ‘Period Edit’ collection of styles will drop on 2 June, with the dungarees set to cost £62 and the trousers priced at £36.
