Fifth Avenue had the runway, but Luke Hanvey had the moment. Featured on The Rhonda Swan Show: Wake Up New York City Edition, the New Zealand-born, Australia-based founder and designer behind TUSQ, the premium shapewear brand for men, arrived in New York not with a gimmick, but with a thesis: confidence starts underneath.
In a category long whispered about, if mentioned at all, Hanvey is building a fashion-forward label that puts men’s body image, comfort and swagger front and center. His appearance on the show captured not just a brand launch, but a cultural moment, one where men’s self-confidence, fashion and mental health finally intersect on the same stage.
“Men have been told to just ‘suck it up,’” Hanvey says. “But three out of four men struggle with body image. Why should they suffer in silence when solutions exist?” That question is the fuel behind TUSQ, a collection engineered to support, smooth and shape, without the stiffness, heat or hush-hush stigma that has defined men’s compression gear for years.
From the jobsite to the front row
Hanvey’s path to fashion wasn’t linear; it was lived. Raised in a working-class, single-parent household in Auckland, New Zealand, he learned independence early and found escape in sport. At 6’6”, he wrestled with finding clothing that fit his whole life. Later, years of rugby and heavy physical work as a carpenter left him with 13 surgeries and ruptured discs. With his partner helping him out of bed some mornings, he knew the tool belt had an expiration date.
Five years ago, he bought his first computer and taught himself e-commerce from scratch. He started in pain management goods, researching back braces and abdominal binders. That niche research surfaced a glaring gap: plus-size men had almost no thoughtful options. What existed was often uncomfortable, unflattering or simply not made with them in mind.
Hanvey dug into bad reviews, tore apart product samples and did what builders do: he problem-solved. He designed his first men’s shapewear line and grew it into a major success in the category. But he wanted to go further, from functional to fashion-forward, from online success to department store shelves. That ambition became TUSQ.
Discover TUSQ’s story and sign up for retail updates at tusqapparel.com.
The category makeover men have been waiting for
Women have had decades of options, from seamless to sculpting, nude to neon, designed to disappear under clothing or star as activewear. Men, by contrast, were left with medical-looking garments or rigid compression that overheated and pinched. TUSQ’s answer is a modern fabric story and a design philosophy that refuses to hide.
- Seamless engineering, soft handfeel, high recovery and a breathable knit that supports without suffocating.
- Wear out or wear under versatility, cuts and finishes that look as intentional under a suit as they do under a T-shirt, or on their own.
- Fit for real bodies, pattern blocks developed with plus-size men in mind, then graded across sizes M–5XL.
- Confidence by design, smoothing where it matters, posture-friendly structure where it helps and zero fuss everywhere else.
Hanvey frames it simply, “We set the foundation. When the base is right, men stand taller, walk in owning the room and let who they are on the inside show on the outside.”
Explore fits and sizing at tusqapparel.com.
Taking men’s shapewear out of the shadows
If the first act of men’s shapewear was silence, TUSQ is act two, spoken out loud. Hanvey wants to flip the narrative from “hiding” to backing yourself. That’s not just semantics, it’s market creation.
Consider the use cases TUSQ is designing for:
- The everyday professional: suit and tie guys who want a smoother silhouette that helps them feel composed in the boardroom.
- The milestone dresser: grooms, grads and anyone facing a camera-heavy day who wants just a bit more polish.
- The transformation journeyer: men on weight loss paths who need comfort and confidence navigating extra skin before everything tightens.
- The teen who’s struggling: parents write to Hanvey about 13 and 14-year-olds bullied over “man boobs” and body changes. The right base layer helps them stand tall and get through the school day with less anxiety.
These aren’t edge cases; they’re everyday realities. By designing products that look and feel premium, TUSQ gives men permission to choose comfort and confidence the way women already do, without apology.
Join the conversation and community highlights on Instagram.
Built like a maker, branded like a fashion house
Hanvey’s builder brain is baked into TUSQ’s product development. He starts with failure points, heat buildup, rigid seams and rolling hems, and engineers them out. The garments breathe. They move. They last. But the brand overlay is pure fashion: a clean, elevated aesthetic with retail in mind.
“We’re not hiding in the medical aisle,” he says. “TUSQ belongs next to premium labels. Fashion first, with functionality embedded.” That positioning is clever; it reframes shapewear from a hush-hush utility to a style decision, as standard as choosing the right undershirt.
See the latest lookbook and sign up for launch news at tusqapparel.com.
The human why behind the brand
Hanvey’s story resonates because it’s not built on perfection; it’s built on persistence. He taught himself e-commerce. He shipped boxes while recovering from surgery. He borrowed rent money so he could reinvest in inventory. And he listened to reviews, to customers, to parents and partners writing about the men they love.
The mission widened as the messages poured in. Confidence isn’t a vanity metric; it’s mental health adjacent. Growing up in New Zealand, Hanvey lost peers to suicide. He’s seen how isolation and shame compound. “If a simple base layer helps a man feel a bit more himself,” he says, “that’s impact I can stand behind.”
Media and partners can reach Luke Hanvey directly at [email protected].
What makes TUSQ different
- Engineered comfort, lightweight, breathable knits designed for all-day wear, no overheating, no itching.
- Intentional shaping, strategic smoothing and subtle posture support that reads as confidence, not constriction.
- Plus-size led fit, blocks built around real bodies, not just scaled-up samples.
- Fashion-forward design, aesthetic choices that invite visibility; not a product you hide, a brand you choose.
- Community at the core, messaging and creator partnerships that normalize men’s body conversations.
The market moment
Men’s grooming and athleisure have exploded over the last decade, and shapewear is the next overdue wave. Social media has accelerated comparison, but it has also normalized solution-seeking. Shoppers expect performance fabrics, clean silhouettes and brands that speak to humans. TUSQ sits at the intersection of performance knitwear, clear use cases and a mission that’s bigger than compression.
The retail strategy follows suit. After establishing proof online, TUSQ is primed for department store distribution, with a product that’s both try-on-friendly and explainer-light. The value prop is immediate in a mirror.
Retail buyers can request the line sheet at tusqapparel.com.
Playbook for a category creator
Hanvey’s advice to founders tracks with his journey:
- Back yourself. The perfect plan is a mirage; momentum is real.
- Start messy, learn fast. Let customer feedback be your R&D budget.
- Fix what hurts. Build from the bad reviews backward, remove friction ruthlessly.
- Design for dignity. Products that help people feel seen and strong create loyalty money can’t buy.
- If you don’t quit, you can’t lose. Resilience compounds like interest.
What’s next for TUSQ
Beyond core shapewear, TUSQ is developing fashion-led base layers that slot into modern wardrobes, anchor a suit, disappear under a polo or stand alone on a rest-day coffee run. Expect collaborations with creators who speak candidly about men’s health, body image and personal style, as well as campaigns that make “foundation dressing” a mainstream concept for men.
The North Star is clear: be the No. 1 men’s shapewear brand, period, not by chasing shock value, but by setting a new standard for comfort, fit and aesthetic integrity.
Get product alerts and early access at tusqapparel.com.
The bottom line
TUSQ isn’t trying to make men into someone else; it’s helping them feel more like themselves, supported, streamlined and ready. That’s not vanity, that’s agency. It’s the quiet boost before the big meeting, the steadying layer at a wedding, the everyday edge that keeps posture and perspective aligned.
Confidence has always been an inside job; TUSQ just makes sure the inside is set up for success.
Shop now at tusqapparel.com and follow @tusqapparel for releases, fit guides and community stories.
The Rhonda Swan Show
The Rhonda Swan Show Wake Up New York and Wake Up SoCal are where the world’s most inspiring entrepreneurs, thought leaders and changemakers share their stories and spotlight their impact. With a global reach and a powerful platform, Rhonda Swan brings authentic conversations to life, empowering audiences worldwide. Want to amplify your message and be featured on the show? Apply now to be a guest on The Rhonda Swan Show and share your story with the world.
Members of the editorial and news staff of USA TODAY Network were not involved in the creation of this content.
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