56-year-old model expands body positivity in new swimsuit campaign
Silver is the new sexy for summer 2016.
That statement isn't forecasting bathing suit trends. We're talking hair color.
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Swimwear brand swimsuitsforall is proving women can be "beach-body ready" regardless of their age or shape. While the retailer has been championing body positivity since its creation in 2004, this year it's taking inclusivity even further by incorporating age diversity in its latest campaign — #SwimSexy. The campaign, which is running in this month's Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, features 56-year-old model Nicola Griffin, plus-size supermodel Ashley Graham and British Nigerian model Philomena Kwao.
“Our obsession with youth is a disease," Moshe Laniado, CEO of swimsuitsforall, told Mashable. "It’s stunting us as people, as brands, and as an industry. If this campaign can help tackle this inequality even a little bit, we’ve done our job well."
Griffin, who began modeling after her children “flew the nest,” was recruited by White Hot Hair for her stunning silver locks several years ago.
“At the age of 56 I never dreamed that I would be in Sports Illustrated, much less in a bikini,” Griffin told Mashable. “As a mother I am so happy that [girls] can look at the #SwimSexy campaign and see that it's OK to be curvy and all different sizes … it’s OK to be yourself.”
Graham's inclusion in the #SwimSexy campaign is no surprise. She starred in swimsuitsforall's #CurvesInBikinis campaign that ran in last year's SI's swimsuit issue — making her the first plus-size model to appear in an ad in the edition.
And on Tuesday the trailblazing bombshell announced in addition to her #SwimSexy advertisement, she'll also be featured Sports Illustrated's actual swim spread.
Kwao, who has been modeling and campaigning for women’s health for several years, opened up about what a “self-affirming experience” working with the brand has been.
“It has shown me that I can be myself and be successful in my career without conforming to industry standards,” Kwao told Mashable. “Sexiness is a feeling which shouldn’t be determined by other people’s opinions or judgments … [and] I am grateful for the opportunity to represent women like myself around the world who may feel their beauty is not represented in the media.”
While the #swimsexy campaign will run in a magazine overwhelmingly full of the images it is trying to undermine, it's a valuable step toward wider visibility and diversity in fashion. After all, SI's swimsuit edition is expected to be seen by more than one million people.
“We [want] to continue to challenge traditional narratives of sexiness, and this year we continue to spark a discussion as we turn the focus to age," Laniado told Mashable. "Diversity is real. The media and fashion industry should be a reflection of the reality of the world we are living.”
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Topics Diversity
