Missguided was roundly applauded last month for showing its swimwear models' stretch marks, and now the high-street fashion retailer has gone a step further by launching a completely unretouched campaign – and it's going down a treat on social media.
The campaign, #MakeYourMark, stars nine barnstorming "babes of Missguided" – models, body-positive activists and bloggers – who were chosen to encourage women to "love themselves", embrace their "flaws" and reject what "the world perceived as perfection".
"Because f*ck perfection. It doesn't exist," the retailer's website reads. "We are making a pledge to never retouch our models' perfect 'imperfections' out." Among the women enlisted to preach the body-positive message are model Emily Bador, model and body positivity activist Felicity Hayward, designer, artist and model Jade Laurice, and Fatty Boom Tatty blogger Sam Rowswell.
"For the last two years with #SELFLOVEBRINGSBEAUTY I've been pushing the importance of SELF LOVE and understanding that FLAWS don't exist. Can't tell you how proud I am to be part of #MAKEYOURMARK with @Missguided," tweeted Hayward.
The ads are part of Missguided's larger campaign, Keep On Being You, which features a range of inspiring women, from model and social activist Munroe Bergdorf and the plus-size advocate and LGBT activist Enam Asiama, to Baddie Winkle, the 89-year-old fashion and internet personality and all-round badass.
The overwhelmingly positive social media reaction to the latest campaign further strengthens the idea that we're tiring of airbrushed "perfection" and outdated beauty standards.
This @Missguided campaign is E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G!!! Size or appearance doesn’t define your beauty 🙌🏼🙌🏼 #MAKEYOURMARK pic.twitter.com/QPNOpE9KW1
— Thats Totally Fetch (@totallyfetch_sa) December 13, 2017
1000000 claps 👏🏼👏🏾👏🏻👏🏿 for the new @Missguided campaign!!!
— Crystallion Heart (@Crystallionzz) December 13, 2017
So much love for @Missguided & their new campaign! This is what young girls need 😍😍 https://t.co/yevbUp2U4f
— Emily copp (@em_copp) December 13, 2017
Well done to @Missguided using real women in their latest campaign 👏👏👏 #PerfectionDoesntExist. #GirlPower https://t.co/HeARfbuyr0
— Rhian Thomas (@RhianThoms) December 13, 2017
didn't even know I needed this @Missguided campaign until I saw it 😭 pic.twitter.com/nlm14FQ1tq
— ruthdolph (@angelamerkyy) December 13, 2017
So much respect for @Missguided with their #MAKEYOURMARK campaign, my body's so different compared to what it used to be but iv never been prouder of it since having my beautiful baby👶💪
— georgia (@G_edwards898) December 13, 2017
We're loving the @Missguided #makeyourmark campaign for #realwomen Love your curves, love lumps & bumps & wear those stretch marks like tiger stripes ✊🏼 https://t.co/F9jRKv7jNL
— The Boudoir Book (@theboudoirbook) December 13, 2017
I like this #MAKEYOURMARK campaign from @Missguided pic.twitter.com/NxlAiV04I5
— Brett Robson (@brettrobson) December 13, 2017
ASOS was similarly applauded for showing its models' stretch marks on its site earlier this year, with customers hailing the move "a step in the right direction". Which big-name retailers will be next, we wonder?
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