American Eagle’s intimate apparel brand, Aerie, has always been at the forefront of ‘for-everyone’ fashion, and now their ads are really taking that point home. Fans are praising the brand for using real women of varying shapes, sizes and colors in their marketing that has quickly gone viral.
From a gorgeous gal with Down Syndrome to a model rocking her ostomy bag, Aerie’s everygirl approach has won the hearts of fans and critics alike. Aerie posted an open call for models in their new bra campaign and Gaylyn Henderson, who suffers from Crohn’s Disease, decided to go for it and submitted a video.
She was overjoyed to be chosen. “To have this opportunity is surreal! For Aerie to give me this opportunity, I’m beyond grateful and thankful they would give someone like me a shot,” she said. Other models who were selected felt the same.
“There was an unspoken feeling in the atmosphere that couldn’t be described. Many of us, myself included, struggled with self-acceptance due to illness and the devastating physical and psychological effects that it can cause,” Henderson said. “We understood the magnitude of what this campaign meant and how very special it would be!”
Aerie’s latest campaign is the latest example of the brand’s dedication to real beauty, as they had previously committed to being Photoshop-free earlier this year. Their goal? Empowering women. All women.