Whether fine, fit or fleshy, when it comes to shapewear, Esteem Apparel knows how to shape men up.
The Canadian men’s shapewear and compression brand creates form-fitting tanks and tees that help men achieve a slim and toned appearance.
Esteem has been in business since 2016 when owner James Grandy settled on men’s shapewear as a category ripe with opportunity. “At the time, not much was available,” he tells Revealed.
And even though companies like Spanx were making strides in the compression industry, they were focused on women, opening the door for Grandy.
“We tested a couple of styles on Amazon and got good traction and reviews,” he says. “We realized there was a need for a product designed in North America, is comfortable to wear and couldn’t be seen under clothing.”
Since launching, Esteem has seen increasing demand for its products, especially for special occasions such as weddings and important business meetings. But its customer base is quite varied.
“It’s not just one type of customer,” Grandy says. Some men may be overweight and looking for a secret weapon to help them look better in clothes. Esteem has also received feedback from parents whose sons are being bullied in school for their weight and the compression shirts help them gain confidence.
Esteem Apparel
The body-shaping chest binders and compression shirts also address gynecomastia, a medical condition that causes breast tissue to enlarge in men. The shirts provide chest and stomach compression, are discreet, maintain their shape, smooth body contours, are seamless and essentially hidden under any type of clothing. The undershirts also improve posture.
Esteem is currently direct-to-consumer, but Grandy is ready to start testing the wholesale waters. “We sell on Amazon and online all over the world, but we don’t see many retail stores carrying men’s shapewear,” he says. “Many men may not even know it exists, so I think there’s huge potential there.”
He sees an opportunity for Esteem in stores that carry men’s special-occasion apparel or even lingerie stores, where women may be open to buying something for the men in their lives.
Meet Esteem Apparel at Curve New York booth #336
esteem-compression-apparel.com
