Behind The Scenes: Victoria Has Her Secret, Here's Ours...
What do you do when someone tells you that can’t do something? You prove them wrong.
And that’s exactly what we did after the Victoria’s Secret fashion show – famously known for its ‘Angels’ – was cancelled this year. Last year, the brand’s chief marketing officer made it widely known that there were no space for fat or trans women in the show, because they don’t “sell the fantasy”. Naturally, worldwide backlash ensued that saw a number of people in senior roles stepping down and leaving the company, a customer boycott, store closures, all leading up to the brand’s decision to cancel the annual show.
So what happens when Linda Blacker, a group of models, Ashleigh Bunce, Gina Parr and The Unedit come together on a rainy day in Barking? We sell that damn fantasy.
Photographer/Creative Director: Linda Blacker | MUAs: Ashleigh Bunce and Gina Parr | Styling: Terri Waters
Introducing a new era of angels (above, L-R): Imogen Fox, Juno Dawson, Enam Asiama, Megan Jayne Crabbe, Tinar Dandajena, Vanessa Sison.
When the incredible Linda Blacker reached out following our shoot for The Unedit Volume 1, styling this campaign was an absolute no-brainer. It was also a wonderful change for me, having dressed some of the most famous models and celebrities in the world, none of whom were ever above a size 8 (with the exception of one). Dressing multiple women at once was no challenge, but dressing multiple women at once each with entirely different dress sizes and requirements – that was something I was ready to dive headfirst into.
Check out our short BTS video:
If you haven’t figured it out by now, representation matters. Showing a diverse cast of bodies shouldn’t be radical, but society is so conditioned to seeing white, cis, thin able, bodies – especially in a lingerie campaign – as the only acceptable bodies, that this shoot was all the more vital. Championing and celebrating women whose bodies don’t match those that we’re so used to seeing is so important, and with each of these incredible women showing how sexy and powerful they are, this campaign is doing just that.
Keep an eye on our socials to see more of the Angels campaign!
