They do not sell my size so it does not bother me. I can’t imagine what the parents of a teen would be thinking of a company sending their daughter a selfie stick with her new underwear. (ex. I am glad to see things like moles, tummy folds and wrinkly elbows which are totally normal yet always photoshopped away in fashion imagery, but I definitely think they should have used some larger models in there when they’re saying they promote diversity and catering to a lot more than just sizes 2-6. to all you said. Their Aerie Real campaign, launched in 2014, has received almost universal accolades, with a number of media outlets praising the brand's "refreshing" approach and "realness. I mean, I’m all for body positivity, but it did seem like it was encouraging me to photograph myself in my underwear. And I’m white, young, and average weight. Click here! Senior Editor of Viral Content and Strategy, The Huffington Post. Rather, it is worth noting that there is nothing the least bit diverse, inclusive, provocative, or groundbreaking about using a young, thin, white, blonde, conventionally attractive woman to sell lingerie. training employees on the importance of body positivity, NEDA walks). this is just, ugh. (I’m one of them.) second: maybe that’s a bit far fetched, but for me this is really doing more harm than good. While it's obvious that anyone of any size or shape or ethnicity deserves to feel good about themselves, Aerie's campaigns are a body positivity fiction. ", Spotlighting models sans Photoshop is a powerful move that most fashion brands, not to mention fashion magazines, rarely make. Their breast are not popping out in front. What does this say to them?

Because we're discussing business, we have to talk money, and the biggest metric of success a store looks for is sales. Part of HuffPost Style & Beauty.
This is the last day of a 4-day campaign with, When you want the look and feel and drape of silk, (Note: This is part of a 4-day campaign with @kima, a legitimate competitor to Victoria's Secret, I don't actually think Photoshop is some great social evil, [She] Proves Nobody Needs Photoshop to Be Beautiful, you don't actually have to do anything diverse to be praised for diversity, it can influence how people, specifically, children, view themselves, The Best Underwear for Healing After Your Hysterectomy, What is “Body Positive,” Anyway?

Was the Aerie Real campaign a success? These girls are still young, white and hot. Calling something an 18 does not mean that it’s actually SIZED to fit 18. Inclusivity and diversity in the media isn't just about the warm fuzzies; it can influence how people, specifically, children, view themselves. Want more? The brand, founded in 2006, is aimed at the 15-21 year old demographic, meaning young women in high school and college.

As a guy, I don’t really see the difference between this and Victoria’s Secret.

I had a quick peek at their website and Aerie sells lingerie up to a US 18 / UK 22 and bras up to a 40DD, so their audience isn’t exclusively ‘small people’. I'd like to receive the free email course. EVER! Looks like aerie is ready for its closeup -- its unretouched closeup. Everyone is risk averse. If companies want to take up the burden of body positivity and diverse representation, then we, as consumers should hold them to that. I really like Aerie Real. Check out a few of the aerie Real photos, shot by photographer John Urbano, below. All rights reserved. Thank you! But when a brand beloved by teen girls shows off its cute bras and undies on bodies with real rolls, lines and curves, it can certainly help. That is just not ok. There was an error submitting your subscription. Because it has to be said, this segment is not an attack on Emma Roberts. Unsubscribe at any time. Required fields are marked *.
Yeah plz raise your hands if you look like that. In terms of revenue, Aerie Real has been an unambiguous win. aerie, American Eagle's sister store for lingerie, has launched aerie Real, a Spring 2014 ad campaign featuring all unairbrushed models. I recently placed an order there and was given a free selfie stick with my $80 box of underwear.

There are companies doing genuinely diverse and inclusive campaigns because they want to change what's "normal" in the lingerie industry. It's been a dynamite couple of years for Aerie, American Eagle's lingerie and intimate apparel sub-brand. 3. I like that Aerie does it as a permanent policy, and I do think that changes what’s normal. Aerie has emerged from the lingerie shadows as a serious player in the lingerie industry. It’s always good to have an insider perspective. Still here, still d, Happy Autumn Equinox!

They’re pushing humanity forward. Much more so than brands that do one token “body positive” attention grab (often an ultra-photoshopped plus model whose proportions are even more unattainable than a thin model’s) and then go straight back to what they were doing. Since all my editorial photoshoot plans have been, ✨ Holy Trinity ✨#goddessesamongus #queenofsheb, Happy Bisexual Visibility Day! What do you think of Aerie and the Aerie Real campaign? Signed Copies of In Intimate Detail are Now Available! Has Aerie fulfilled its brand promise of not retouching models? Mic.com reported a second quarter sales increase of 9% in 2014 (compared to a 2% increase the previous year), and American Eagle's interim CEO reported higher sales and earnings for Aerie in early 2015. Your email address will not be published.

If your models are all near-perfect examples of the human form, you don’t really need retouching, even though you can be sure they had stylists around to fix their hair and makeup between pictures. We promise to never send you spam. Two of those girl would be considered fat by the fashion industry. Aerie Real felt in many ways like an easy win, a plucking of the very lowest of low-hanging fruit. It’s a much needed step in the right direction.

This is what their lingerie looks like on small people. And the unfortunate answer to this question has to be an emphatic no. ", TLA covered the Aerie Real campaign back in January of last year. EVERY piece of fashion media we see nowadays is so heavily photoshopped that even these seeing young attractive women being untouched is a breath of fresh air. If anything, I would assert the Aerie Real campaign has actually taken a step backwards. Telling of how very not-committed-to-body-positivity they are and how much they don’t understand the core of the actual movement. As I'm not a photography professional, I have to take them at their word. However, the body positivity movement was founded as a direct response to a culture that only tells young, thin, white women they're worthwhile. Author of In Intimate Detail: How to Choose, Wear, and Love Lingerie. But how does using a traditionally beautiful woman become a radically divergent statement on beauty?

Looking for the Perfect Lingerie Guide? Is Aerie Real leading the industry in body positivity? I’m used to that, just as I’m used to body positivity campaigns that still manage to make most of us feel bad about our bodies. Writ large, it's a perfect example of how the body positive movement has been co-opted, degraded, and watered down to the point of unrecognizability. I think it a move in the correct direction. After all, it's worth remembering "that a teenager or twenty-something model is still pretty normal by fashion industry standards. That’s the promise behind Aerie’s body positive campaign #AerieReal. Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle. It does not bother me. Isn’t makeup just photoshop in real life lol? The issue of co-opting and reframing the language of social movements is a constant one; however it's vitally important that the words "body positivity" mean something. Nor is it acceptable for others to dismiss the cognitive dissonance these campaigns can elicit as unimportant or a sign of being "unappreciative." It’s kind of like a company polluting a river, only to stop after public pressure and claim credit for stopping polluting the river.

#, (Hi! But I do know you can do lots of things with lighting. It would be nice for my young daughter that is just starting to wear bras. I admit, I fully expected the Aerie to walkback the Real campaign after a season or two. The value of the campaign has been in a certain (tightly edited, pre-processed, yet still accessible) rawness, and it's hard not to see this celebrity-focused campaign as a significant step backwards. No retouching on these girls. For our first-ever group of Changemakers, Aerie has granted 20 advocates with $20,000 each to help foster their many ideas for changing the world.