The effects of Ozempic on fashion

Landing on the shelves of American and British pharmacies in the early 1960s, it is said that it was the invention of the contraceptive pill that laid the foundations for the women's liberation movement of that decade, not coincidentally so fond of miniskirts and feminism. Viagra, the famous ‘blue pill’, after being patented by the States in 1996 became the protagonist of blockbusters such as Sex & the City (in the 1999 episode The Man, the Myth, the Viagra) and Love and Other Drugs(2010) but also a valuable bargaining chip for the CIA "looking for friends" in Afghanistan. The power of drugs is omnipresent, pervading every fabric of our society from entertainment to hospitality, from the behavioural tendencies of entire generations to the biggest wars in history. For fashion, which has seen its share of miniskirts and politics from the 1960s to the present day, wellness continues to remain a central theme, perhaps never more so than before - evidenced by trends such as star shakes, sleep tourism, foot health and luxury fitness. As the link between body and clothes is inseparable, so is the relationship between drugs, drugs and seasonal trends, with heroin chic and body positivity still bearing the marks. One year into the era of Ozempic, the drug launched in 2017 to control insulin spikes for diabetes patients but soon to become a slimming weapon for celebrities and everyone else, it becomes necessary for the fashion industry to understand what repercussions the new medicine will have on consumers. The controversy surrounding the product for now has mainly turned it into a meme on TikTok and on the catwalk, with provocative brands such as Namilia printing the catchphrase ‘I heart Ozempic’ on 2000s tank tops for SS25. But just as the birth control pill and Viagra in their time didn't just affect the size of trousers and skirts that were fashionable, the effects of the Ozempic on the fashion industry won't stop at a post-ironic tank top. 

The first sign of the arrival of the Ozempic in fashion was seen on the catwalk. While up until 2022, the brands present at the Fashion Weeks of the major fashion capitals were interested in straight-size casting, writes Vogue Business in the Size Inclusivity Report of the FW24, in 2023 they went back on their heels: out of 8,800 total looks, only 0.8 per cent of the castings for the FW24 were plus-size (MFW the worst of the four, with 99 per cent straight-size models compared to 96 per cent the previous season). In no time at all, the fashion industry went from celebrating Paloma Elsesser's cover image for i-D to wondering whether Kim Kardashian, in order to fit into Marilyn Monroe's historic Met Gala dress, had actually taken drugs. «Ozempic feels like the ultimate test for fashion's commitment to an authentically inclusive future,» wrote Amy Francombe for The Evening Standard, as the success of the new slimming injections spread beyond the hills of Silicon Valley. In January 2024, market research showed that the drug had convinced even those who, to look good on a red carpet or in an editorial with an exposed belly, should never bother: the market value of Ozempic and Wegovy (from the same active ingredient as the former but in a more potent dosage) had reached $500 billion, a fortune that led the Danish manufacturer Novo Nordisk to overtake the French luxury conglomerate LVMH. In no time at all, thinness was once again worth more than luxury. 

Apart from trends, which now in fashion alternate at an unstoppable speed and are therefore less impactful (see aesthetics that were born and disappeared in a matter of weeks such as tenniscore and mob wife), the rise of slimming drugs is influencing the fashion industry above all on a practical level. After following the cure, capable of making people lose a lot of weight within a few months, the main concern for Ozempic users becomes what to wear: when nothing fits anymore, the desire to get a new wardrobe takes over. In America, The Independent and Wall Street Journal reported on the joy of shopkeepers in discovering that many of the 15.5 million citizens who have tried Ozempic and Wegovy now need new clothes, although some of them admitted to feeling worried about next seasons' inventory. «I'm trying to figure out what we have to worry about in the future,» reported a brand representative. Slimming cures are thus proving to be a double-edged sword for retail: after months of declining sales following a post-pandemic slowdown in purchases, the sector has been able to breathe a sigh of relief, but brands that have already invested in plus sizes now have to figure out how to prevent their customer base from shrinking, literally. The only ones who according to market forecasts can remain calm seem to be the second-hand resale platforms, happy to take in all the clothes that users can no longer wear («some users told us they were selling because their sizes had changed,» a Vestiaire Collective representative told Vogue Business). 

As Viagra and the birth control pill did in turn, the effects of Ozempic on our society will not only manifest themselves in what we wear. If until a few years ago the sportswear and cosmetic chemistry sectors were already showing signs of expansion, the rise of slimming drugs is adding to the hype. Since undergoing a large weight loss in a rather short time window usually leads to an unpleasant sagging of the face, doctors who have spotted the trend have created fillers and facelifts specifically for the ‘Ozempic Face’. At the same time, the number of gym members and customers of sportswear brands who, after getting ‘back in shape’, have to maintain themselves with ‘toning’ workouts, buy new sports sets and drink the much-celebrated Erewhon shakes is increasing. For now, Ozempic's role in fashion and other aspects of our society is yet to be understood, but the latest data is proof of how powerful it could indeed become, on our bodies, our psyches, and perhaps even on international relations that once relied on Viagra.