Lingerie brands cater to all tastes with a plethora of styles in various colours, prints and cuts, from the modest to the revealing, for plus size to petite figures. So it's easy to forget that there are some women that they just don't cater for.
Which is why when M&S's new press release landed in my inbox, I had to tell everyone on the team straight away. You see M&S is the first high-street brand to launch a range of stoma knickers, for women who have undergone a colostomy.
If you aren't familiar with stoma bags, they are attached to the outside of your stomach to help remove body waste, when a part of your colon has been removed. Understandably, this affects what you can and can't wear as certain types of underwear can make you uncomfortable.
M&S identified a gap in the market for the 200,000 people living with stomas in the UK, who previously had to shop for specialist underwear on medical sites. The new range of knickers accommodate single or multiple stoma bags, alongside co-ordinating bras (they have a wider elastic waist).
They're designed to be comfortable, and were put to the test by women with stoma bags, and M&S worked with Colostomy UK for guidance from the experts.
The knickers don't compromise on style either, coming in four different colours: black and a mixed colour pack in rose quartz, pink and magenta, as well as high leg and Brazilian styles.
There is the price tag too: you can get a pack of three classic high leg briefs for £18, and three lace Brazilian styles for £20, which will be exempt from VAT, making these some of the most affordable on the market.
The UK label isn't a stranger to inclusivity, being one of the few brands to offer mastectomy and post-surgery bras, as well as clothing for premature babies and babies suffering from hip dysplasia.
