Founded in 2016 by Romanian-based designer Patricia Luiza Blaj, Loud Bodies has all the hallmarks of a brand that’s emblematic of the current zeitgeist: a colourful, theatrical and sometimes whimsical aesthetic, impeccable ethics that value the individual above profit and an approach that’s inclusive (with sizes XXS to 10X), sustainable and unapologetic. We spoke with the 28-year-old creative about how her brand came about, its core values and the future of the industry—and her label.

WHAT IS LOUD BODIES’ ORIGIN STORY?

“I founded it [after] years of frustration [while] working in the fashion industry. After I recovered from an eating disorder, the clothes I liked didn’t fit me anymore. Working as a content creator and having to deal with rejection after rejection from brands or only getting hired as a ‘token fat girl’ to fit their diversity quota, I’d had enough. I decided it was time to pave my own way and stop asking to be included by people who would never see me for who I am.”

WHY MAKE SUSTAINABILITY A CORE VALUE?

“The fashion industry is the second-most-polluting industry in the world. Brands can no longer afford not to be sustainable, otherwise they are literally destroying our planet. With Loud Bodies, I wanted to create something good—to bring joy and autonomy to people and not [produce] an empty product that can only exist at the expense of the environment and the people who make it.”

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE THIS?

“A new product will never be 100 percent sustainable—you can’t make anything new without consuming resources. But we do our best to ensure that every step of the process is as responsible as possible—from choosing only deadstock and certified-natural fabrics, using cotton thread and saving fabric scraps and reusing them to not using plastic in our packaging or labelling process and shipping in recycled mailers. We’re constantly monitoring every step of production to find ways to improve our practices.”

WHAT CHANGES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY?

“I wish brands would be upfront about why they don’t want to be more inclusive or eco-conscious. If a brand without any sort of backing created by a nobody in Romania can be as sustainable as we are and make clothes from XXS to 10X without compromise, so can the big brands. They refuse to do it because they want to maximize their profits, not because they don’t have the resources or because it’s too complicated. Everyone—including [big] companies—can make more sustainable choices. It’s all about priorities.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE KIND OF CUSTOMER FEEDBACK?

“Besides [when they] rave about the quality of our fabrics and how wonderful they feel against the skin, I am happiest when clients say they’ve never had clothes fit so well—which makes them real- ize that their bodies aren’t ‘bad’ or ‘weird’ but that mass-produced clothing is ill-fitting. I wish everyone could have that realization.”

WHAT DO YOU ENVISION FOR THE FUTURE OF LOUD BODIES?

“We have no intention of taking over the world. We just hope we’ll be able to keep doing what we’re doing—providing a safe working environment for our team and making beautiful clothes for our clients—for as long as possible. I’m just grateful that I get to work toward something I believe in every day.”

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