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Massachusetts women sue underwear companies over slimming claims – Metro US

Massachusetts women sue underwear companies over slimming claims

John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse. Credit: Getty Images John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse.
Credit: Getty Images

A pair of Massachusetts women are suing underwear companies, alleging that the undergarments they purchased failed to live up to their advertised ability to combat fat.

Annique Bellot and Tara Stefani are the women named as plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit filed on Monday in federal court. They are seeking relief from Maidenform Brands and Wacoal America.

The filing details how in late March the women separately bought shapewear sold by Maidenform and underwear called “iPant”sold by Wacoal that were said to include slimming technology, like infusions of nutrients and vitamins, that promotes fat destruction. The lawsuit claims the women were deceived by the companies into buying the underwear.

“Yet Defendants make misrepresentations about their shapewear … in order to prey upon women’s insecurities about their body images,” the filing said.

The women also said they paid “premiums” for the shapewear over similar styles of underwear that did not claim to fight fat.

A spokeswoman for Wacoal America said it was the company’s policy not to comment on any pending litigation. A message sent to Maidenform was not immediately returned.

Follow Michael Naughton on Twitter @metrobosmike.