Who We Are
At Genderwear SA, we’re reimagining what gender-affirming shapewear looks like in a world that continues to try to erase us. Since 2019, we’ve been committed to creating apparel that empowers, includes, and uplifts comfort, identity, and dignity at every step. It’s been a journey. Often messy, but also beautiful, and full of highs and lows. Through everything, we’re still here, and we’re not going anywhere. In the moments when it feels hardest to show up, that’s when it matters most. Living as our true selves isn’t just brave - it’s powerful.
Mel Laubscher
Managing Director
Genderwear South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Mel Laubscher is a transmasculine, non-binary individual and the owner of Genderwear South Africa. Born in 1993 and growing up as an only child, Mel grew up in an environment shaped by love, but also by the expectation to fit a particular mould. Like so many queer people, their identity was treated as a threat: something to suppress, avoid, or survive. What was framed as protection was, in reality, a silencing. Over the years, Mel found themselves having to "come out" repeatedly, each time forced to prove who they were just to be believed. It was a long, painful journey; one marked by shame, resistance, and deep loneliness. Mel does not take these experiences for granted, as they have also shaped who they are now: someone committed to never becoming the kind of person who made them feel small. Someone who wants to be the person they never had.
Through Genderwear SA, Mel is creating more than just garments. They’re shaping the kind of space they spent years searching for. Working closely with skilled collaborators, Mel is slowly building a brand rooted in affirmation where expression isn’t questioned, but celebrated. While their work centres trans and queer liberation, it also extends to those who are pushed furthest to the margins and whose existence continues to be policed, erased, and devalued by the very systems claiming to “protect” them. What drives Mel isn’t just resilience — it’s refusal. A refusal to let the world dictate who gets to feel joy, comfort, and dignity. Everyone deserves to live as their authentic self, and no matter how hard it gets, Mel’s commitment remains: to get back up, and to keep making space for those who are still finding their way.
Contact Us
Please note that we do offer in-person fittings by appointment only. Our exact address will be shared on appointment request.