Progress or clever marketing tactics? Rising star Robyn Lawley announced today on the show “Good Morning America” that she is the first plus size model for Ralph Lauren. The photos are absolutely stunning, and regardless of size, it’s no wonder why this drop-dead gorgeous model was chosen to star in the campaign.
We have noticed more progress in the industry about accepting all sizes (JENESEQUA wrote about Vogue and the CFDA’s health initiative as well as Lawley’s beachy spread in Glamour in our recent issue nine – you can download it here), but this is an interesting move coming from Ralph Lauren, a brand that is notorious for its preference for unrealistically thin models.
Remember back in 2009, when Ralph Lauren was caught with this poorly Photoshoppped ad, in which the model’s head was thicker than her hips? Adding to the controversy, it was later revealed that Filippa Hamilton (the model) was fired by Ralph Lauren for being too fat at 5’8 and 120 lbs. That’s not all – the company was caught with a similarly Bratz doll-esque look in the same week (you can see the photo here) on one of their websites. The brand has since apologized for the photos, admitting that the retouching had resulted in “a very distorted image of a woman’s body.”
Fast-forward three years, and the brand has taken a step to include for the first time, a plus-sized model in their ad campaign (in case you’re wondering, Lawley is 6’2 and a size 12). Has Ralph Lauren truly changed for the better in three years, or are they simply saving face? We want to know your thoughts!
Author: Alexis Sargent Photos: credited above
