Aerie’s Spring 2014 lingerie campaign is turning some serious heads. The company recently launched their campaign, featuring real and unairbrushed women, promoting the message that ‘the real you is sexy.’
Aerie, the sister company to American Eagle Outfitters, is a lingerie brand targeted at young females, ages 15-21. While Aerie only sold in stores in the U.S., the company ships internationally to over 80 countries.
The models featured in the campaign have ‘imperfections,’ tattoos, and are not Photoshopped, promoting a more realistic view of the average woman. The photos feature women of all sizes modeling Aerie’s latest lingerie line.
This campaign is similar to Dove’s ‘real beauty’ campaign launched in 2004 that used unaltered images of women of all sizes that contrasted the industry’s extreme standards.
What makes this Aerie campaign unique is the age group their products are targeted at. Young women ages 15-21 are especially vulnerable to messaging about body images.
Most females know that models are retouched, such as the Victoria’s Secret campaigns. This mindset may promote an unhealthy idea of what it means to be beautiful.
‘It’s a good thing they’re doing it and it’s a really positive message, but I’m not sure if it will have an effect as most teenagers are aware images are touched up,’ said Associate Professor Suzanne Abraham from Sydney Medical School told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Although media may not be the only factor in promoting an unhealthy body image, the effort that Aerie has made is a positive example for young women. A
Another controversy that has been causing a stir involves Lena Dunham’s Photoshopped Vogue spread. Even though the Photoshopped changes were minimal, fans and feminist websites have expressed disappoint upon hearing this information.
Dunham, who bares all of her body on the hit TV show, ‘Girls,’ is publicly accepting of her average sized body. Yet, Jezebel, a feminist website, got hold of the ‘before’ pictures from Lena’s Vogue shoot and compared what exactly the magazine changed. The photos show that Dunham’s hips were pulled in, her neckline thinned, and her chin pointed.
The fact that Dunham plays a television character who is naked much of the time on her show makes her Photoshopped Vogue spread all the more confusing. Although her fans seem to be upset about her airbrushed photos, and even taken to social media to lash out at the magazine, Dunham is content with her spread.
‘I don’t understand why, Photoshop or no, having a girl who is different than the typical Vogue cover girl, could be a bad thing,’ she said.
Aerie, whose views seem to run parallel with Dunham’s, offer a chance for all customers and fans to show off their natural beauty on social media.
The brand is encouraging fans and customers to hashtag #AerieReal on Twitter and Instagram to get a chance to be featured on their website. The images that stream on their site feature ‘selfies’ of girls looking natural, and well… real.
Our ed Anna Magee worked in magazines for years and commented that, often when magazine editors are asked why they airbrush they reply: ‘Women don’t want to see imperfections, they want to see bodies they aspire to.’
What do you think? Airburshing or not?
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