You may have heard about Target using “real” women in its 2015 swimsuit campaign, or aerie publishing unretouched images of its models. And there’s been tons of great exposure for plus-size models this year. All of these efforts are steps toward a more realistic media landscape, and we’re really loving the latest move: an empowering ad campaign from clothing retailer The Limited.
The mall staple recently released a series of photos and videos featuring not just “real” women, but prominent women in leadership roles. “The New Look of Leadership” campaign includes a racially diverse group of women—though the ones featured on the website (and pictured at the bottom of this post) don’t reflect much body diversity—from education, government, healthcare, technology and other fields.
“I’m on the planet to advance women and girls, so saying yes to The Limited was a no brainer,” said Tiffany Dufu, chief leadership officer of Levo, a career services company, and one of the women featured in the campaign. “According to Marian Wright Edelman you can’t be what you can’t see. I’m thrilled to help show women that ‘The New Look of Leadership’ is in the mirror.”
The company’s CEO, Diane Ellis, says the campaign was inspired by The Limited customers who work in leadership positions. She explained, “We wanted to recognize these outstanding women and launch a movement to inspire others to lead in their own communities.”
There are more than 60 women involved, modeling everything from loungewear to more sophisticated office attire.
As author, life coach and motivational speaker Gabrielle Bernstein explained to The Huffington Post, “I am deeply passionate about inspiring women to own their leadership power and rise up. I’m grateful that The Limited is bringing the empowering message of women and leadership to the forefront. Fashion and leadership go hand-in-hand when it comes to making an impact, leading with confidence and owning your power.”
