Female Body Obsession

Aesthetics #1: Le Body magnified by Coralie Fargeat in her new film The Substance, and introducing an elegant, practical one-piece by Tara Matthews

Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle

The Substance is the best film I’ve seen this year. Both a disturbing social commentary and a sensational cinematic masterpiece, the extreme themes of dysmorphic self-destruction and deranged imagery reflect our toxic beauty culture and youth-obsessed world—how women’s bodies are objectified and sexualized by men and society until they are discarded, no longer meeting impossible standards. This visceral sci-fi / horror by French writer-director Coralie Fargeat will invade your psyche in a way that renders it unforgettable and will be a cult classic for decades to come.

Demi Moore’s phenomenal turn as an aging movie star reminds us why she was once the world’s highest-paid female actress (for another body-centric film, Striptease) and could easily win her an Oscar. At the same time, Margaret Qualley’s performance as Sue will surely earn her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The gut-wrenching flick has gore galore and nudity aplenty. In the first of many gruesome scenes, Sue is spawned (if you haven’t seen it, I won’t explain how) her dewy, naked body resembling a blow-up sex doll. All butt and boobs, Fargeat modeled Sue on Jessica Rabbit, for which Qualley wore prosthetics because, come on, nobody looks like that.

My favorite scene is when Sue replaces Elisabeth as the star of a televised fitness show—the hyper-sexualized choreography and rapid cinematography is mind-blowing (and I defy you not to get the song ‘Pump It Up’ stuck in your head)—but what really caught my eye was Sue’s metallic pink leotard, a garment that will make fashion film history.

Margaret Qualley as Sue

Like everything else in The Substance, the cut-out leotard is an extreme version of a sartorial item that suits and flatters all shapes, sizes, and ages, a one-piece known as a body, perhaps from the French word ‘le body.’ (Fun fact: the word ‘leotard’ came from a French trapeze artist named Jules Léotard.) Somewhat morbidly, the French word for an actual flesh-and-bones body is ‘le corps.’

I remember my first body, bought from trusty old M&S—black cotton with cap sleeves and snap buttons in the crotch. When I wasn’t wearing my boarding school uniform, the body was part of my weekend uniform, worn under a red checked lumberjack shirt, black jeans, and Doc Martens. Aged 13, this was The Look.

Bodies, bodysuits, leotards, and one-piece swimsuits are essentially all the same thing, a wardrobe staple in different variations—lingerie, aerobics, swimming, fashion—or even a costume (Tay and Bey wear them on stage.) Amongst the many designer clothes Bey has owned over the years, (Bey as in oncé), the superstar took a particular liking to Tara Matthews, a luxury resort and swimwear brand from the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Back when Matthews had her first trunk show in NYC, Beyoncé, who just happened to be in the store that day, bought half the collection. Many celebrities followed, including Gisele, Halle Berry, and Kim Kardashian.

Matthews has been designing gorgeous, hand-embroidered swimwear for 21 years, all made at an atelier in France. Until now, she has mostly worked with private clients but is about to be in big-time business. Bergdorf Goodman has already snapped her up and will be stocking her designs from February 2025, and several of her pieces were used for the upcoming new season of The White Lotus.

I am smitten with one from her latest collection, an elegant, practical statement piece that can be worn as either a swimsuit or a body. Named after a beach in Corsica, introducing the Bodri:

Seen here in black (midnight), this versatile garment can be worn year-round: under jeans and a cashmere cardigan in the winter, or as a swimsuit in the summer. Subtly sexy, it has a similar cutout to the pink leotard in The Substance (but in the back—less overt, more demure):

It’s one of those must-have wardrobe staples, also available in a delicious chocolate brown:

Or a chic dark grey:

And my personal favorite, ivory:

Before you think this will only work on flat chests or breast implants, the Bodri can be made with an added shelf bra for support and slits for padding. Some of Matthews’ clients have had reconstructive surgeries after undergoing mastectomies. All pieces can be adapted into your own unique, bespoke creation. You can also find her on Instagram: @bytaramatthews

The film and the brand have one thing in common: both are timeless classics. Sue’s pink leotard in The Substance is unforgettable while the Bodri by Tara Matthews is indispensable. It’s only a matter of time before the film and the brand are on everyone’s lips, nips, and hips.