Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika to do away with size labels

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Sep 22, 2022

Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika will replace its clothing size labels with rainbow labels which read “Size: Doesn’t Matter” to eliminate the idea of sizing from its brand and promote size inclusivity.

“I would not like to refer to anyone as plus size or larger size because for the smaller size we don’t refer to it as a minus size,” said Papa Don’t Preach designer Shubhika Sharma told Elle India. “We construct our clothes to fit you, not the other way around- hence, we’re calling it rainbow labels.”
 
The brand had already begun to add the names of the artisans who made specific items of clothing for the brand onto garments’ labels to honour its karigars. Eliminating sizing labels is another step in the brand’s plan to show its politics through its clothing, according to Sharma. 

“We are designers, we make clothes, and we don’t have the right to make people feel bad about themselves,” said Sharma. “Whether it’s the change in labels or not budging on the fat-tax system, it’s a step in the right direction. It doesn’t matter even if we’re the only ones doing it, at some point, one has to hold themselves accountable before demanding change from the world.”
 
Papa Don’t Preach by Shubhika has been vocal about eliminating the “fat tax” which refers to how many brands charge more for larger sizes, citing increased production costs due to using more fabric and trims. The brand’s new system assigns different colours to the rainbow labels, which do not denote size but are used for logistics. Personal shoppers in the brand’s flagship stores will also be on hand to guide shoppers to find clothing that fits them.