Tusq Featured in LA Weekly: Breaking the Taboo Around Men's Shapewear
Luke Hanvey's mission to normalize men's shapewear and break the stigma around body confidence has caught the attention of major media. LA Weekly recently sat down with Luke to explore how Tusq is creating an entirely new category in men's fashion—and why the industry has overlooked plus-sized men for far too long.
This isn't just another product review. It's validation that the conversation around masculinity, self-care, and body confidence is shifting—and Tusq is leading that shift.
Why This Coverage Matters
For decades, men's shapewear has been treated as something shameful—something to hide, something that means you're "not man enough" as you are. Meanwhile, women's shapewear brands like Spanx built empires by positioning their products as confidence tools, not secrets to be ashamed of.
LA Weekly's coverage represents a cultural turning point. When mainstream media starts asking "why can't men own their appearance the same way women do?"—that's when real change happens. This feature isn't just about Tusq as a product; it's about challenging the outdated belief that caring about how you look somehow makes you less masculine.
The truth? Bigger men deserve to feel sharp, confident, and represented. They deserve fashion-forward options that actually fit. And they deserve to stop suffering in silence about body image.
The Journey Behind the Brand
Luke Hanvey's story defies every expectation. At age 39, he'd never touched a computer in his life. He was a builder battling chronic pain from five ruptured discs, working through physical agony with no clear direction forward. Then he discovered e-commerce, bought his first computer in March 2019, taught himself everything in three months, and launched his first product in January 2020.
Within a short time, Luke became Amazon's #1 bestseller in men's shapewear—a position he held for approximately three years while selling over 500,000 products. In December 2025, Tusq won Best New Brand from Titan Network.
But the business success is only part of the story. Luke is 6'6". He personally experienced the frustration of not finding cool clothes that fit—remembering being 20 years old when everything stopped at size 36, forcing him to wear "dad boardshorts" he hated. He knows what it's like to feel overlooked by an industry that doesn't see bigger men as worthy of premium, stylish options.
That lived experience drives every decision at Tusq. This isn't a brand built on market research. It's built on understanding exactly what bigger guys need because Luke is one of those guys.
What Makes Tusq Different
Tusq isn't competing with Under Armour's athletic compression or Spanx's women's shapewear. We're creating an entirely new category: premium men's everyday shapewear that's fashion-forward enough to flex.
Our Body Shaper Tank goes to 5XL with extra length engineered to prevent riding up and exposing your stomach—a problem competitors ignore. The signature pinstripe serves dual purpose: it's a fashion statement and provides extra compression through the midsection where men need it most. Premium materials (78% nylon, 22% spandex from our proprietary DEFINÉ blend) feel soft and seamless, not cheap. You can wear it as an undershirt or as a fashionable tank. Versatility matters.
Most importantly, Tusq is positioned around a simple truth: this isn't about becoming someone else. It's about backing yourself and feeling confident being you.
The Mission Continues
Luke's mission extends beyond product. He's openly shared his own struggles with depression, body image, and feeling lost after career-ending injuries forced him to retire from professional sports at 28. His message to men suffering in silence: find your community, speak your truth, and go all in on yourself. You're not alone, and taking care of your appearance doesn't make you less of a man—it makes you smart.
"Luke Hanvey did not approach the compression tank category from theory. At six foot six with a bigger build, he lived the frustration firsthand. As he puts it, I know what it is like for big dudes. You cannot find cool clothes to fit. That lived experience shaped every decision behind Tusq."
Read the Full Feature
LA Weekly dove deep into Luke's journey, the product innovation behind Tusq, and why this cultural moment matters for men's mental health and body confidence. The feature explores how Tusq is challenging outdated ideas about masculinity and creating space for men to own who they are without apology.
This is bigger than shapewear. This is about changing the conversation.
Featured in LA Weekly | January 2025
