Curvy Kate launches diverse #TheNewSexy campaign

Curvy Kate, known for its fuller bust ranges of lingerie and swimwear, has launched its most diverse campaign to date. Its #TheNewSexy campaign features eight female role models, including an Alopecia sufferer, a transgender woman, an amputee and recovered anorexic, as it looks to challenge social ‘norms’.

The #TheNewSexy calls for women of all shapes, backgrounds and sizes to be represented in the media, along with looking to redefine how society views the word ‘sexy’, the lingerie brand said.

Curvy Kate has always championed real women, since launching it has never employed a professional model to front its lingerie and swimwear campaigns, instead, it has always opted to celebrate their customers and use social media to find “eclectic” role models to wear its collections.

Commenting on its approach, head of PR and marketing, Hannah Isichei said: ”It's important for us as a brand to speak to as many women as possible through our campaigns. We know our customers don't all look the same, so why should our models? Why should boudoir lingerie just be reserved for a handful of society?

“We want women to look at our products and see them on a body they can relate to. Scantilly lingerie is for every woman and every body, so it's important that our models reflect this attitude.”

In recent years the modelling and fashion industries has been under scrutiny due to the lack of diversity promoted in adverts. A report by The Fashion Spot stated that out of 422 models involved in the largest spring/summer 2016 campaigns, only 1.4 percent were above a size 12, while only 21.8 percent included a model of colour, and zero adverts featured transgender models.

Curvy Kate ‘Scantilly’ lingerie campaign celebrates diversity

Curvy Kate’s new campaign for its third Scantilly collection, which includes peep-hole briefs, sexy suspenders, half cup balcony bras and sheer basques in sizes DD-HH cups and small to extra large, features an anorexic and body positive activist, a transgender woman, an amputee, an aspiring curve model who suffers with skin condition Alopecia, as well as a number of bloggers and a Youtube vlogger.

Grace Victory, a successful Youtube vlogger who talks about issues such as self-esteem, eating disorders and self-harm, who features in the campaign, said: "I think if diversity was shown in the media it would just become the 'norm'. At the moment it's still kind of an 'oh my god moment' when we see someone who is slightly bigger or even a girl of colour on the catwalk or in adverts, which is shocking really.

“Showing all different kinds of people will really help the younger generations to see someone they relate to, whether it be tall, short, fat, thin or whatever. I think the industry has a long way to go but some brands such as Scantilly are putting their foot forward and playing a part in something that means such a lot to a wide range of people.”

Anorexic and body positive activist, Megan Crabbe, added: "I spent a long time believing that feeling confident or sexy was reserved for people with the 'perfect' body and that the rest of us didn't deserve it.

“Modelling for Scantilly after beating years of body insecurities was personally empowering and so much fun. This campaign shows anyone with body image issues that we are ALL worthy of confidence, all sizes, all skin colours, all abilities. It's exactly the kind of diverse representation we need to help us all see our unique beauty a bit more clearly."

Scantilly by Curvy Kate is available at curvykate.com, Debenhams.com and Figleaves.com.

Images: courtesy of Curvy Kate.