Billie Eilish has claimed that the controversial fashion line Brandy Melville contributed to the start of her “body problems.”
The 22-year-old singer spoke candidly about growing up with the brand, which famously sells all of its closing in one size, during a cover story interview with Complex published on Thursday (December 5). She explained that she loved Brandy Melville so much as a child that it caused her to develop a negative view of her appearance.
“I never wore pants or shorts when I was a little kid,” she explained, noting that she loved wearing skirts and large dresses growing up. “But when I got to be about 11, I got obsessed with this brand called Brandy Melville. And they only sold clothes in one size. I was chubbier and I was obsessed with these clothes, but I’d buy a shirt and it wouldn’t fit me. That’s when my body problems started.”
“I was around the age of 10 or 11. I got boobs at like nine, and I was just developing really early,” Eilish continued. “I wasn’t slim. Also, I was in ballet, and that’s this whole world of body problems.”
The “Birds of a Feather” singer noted that at this point in her childhood, she started wearing “baggy clothing.” While it was her “style” at the time, she also admitted that she wore baggier clothes due to her struggles with her body image.
“It was how I could feel comfortable in my body and not feel tied to how my body looks. I didn’t want my body to be part of my outfit,” she continued. “I wanted my outfit to be my outfit, and my body happens to be inside it.”
Eilish explained that when she began to reach more success in her career around the age of 16, she became known for wearing “baggy clothes only” and not looking “like a girl.” While making her 2021 album Happier Than Ever, she decided to show her fans that she was much more than the “one thing” people defined her as.
“I had to completely reverse everything and be this girly girl for a second and have these pink nails, blonde hair, skirts, dresses, button-ups, bras, and lingerie,” Eilish said. “I really just did it to prove a point. I was just like, “F** you guys. I can do whatever I want.’”
Since 2009, Brandy Melville has fed stockpiles of single-sized clothing to young girls with an inventory featuring “baby tees,” low-rise denim, and micro shorts. The brand gained notoriety throughout the 2010s, as social media stars were often seen in Brandy Melville clothing on Instagram.
The company has not only been criticized for its one-sized clothing, but it has also faced accusations of cultivating a toxic workplace. In the HBO documentary Brandy Helville: The Cult of Fast Fashion, which came out in April, former employees accused members of Brandy Melville’s senior leadership of racism, antisemitic behavior, and sexual exploitation.
The “Bad Guy” singer has previously opened up about her struggles with body image. Speaking to Vogue in 2023, Eilish spoke out about her hypermobility diagnosis and how it caused her to feel anger toward her body.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, joint hypermobility syndrome is a connective tissue disorder that causes pain from having very flexible joints.
“Going through my teenage years of hating myself and all that stupid s***, a lot of it came from my anger toward my body, and how mad I was at how much pain it’s caused me, and how much I’ve lost because of things that happened to it,” Eilish admitted.
