Ashley Graham praised for unedited swimwear campaign

[logitech]

With summer fast approaching, a new swimwear line is nothing new.

But Ashley Graham's new collection for Swimsuits for All, which is being promoted with untouched, unedited photos of the plus-size model, seems quite different.

Retouched images are used as standard by the fashion industry and in the media, and fans have said they wish more models would follow Ashley's lead.

Ashley said the photos were a reminder that "being authentic is beautiful."

The model, who has 6.7 million followers, was the first size 14 model to feature on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine and backs the #BeautyBeyondSize campaign.

She has worked with Swimsuits For All on a swimwear collection for women up to size 34.

The "Power of Paparazzi" campaign appears to reflect a desire for more transparency around touching up and editing fashion images, as well as a demand for broader definitions of beauty.

In an Instagram post, the retailer said: "Looking at the #unretouched photos from our #Summer2018 shoot with @theashleygraham, we thought 'why not use these as the campaign images?'"

Swimsuits for All said the collection was inspired by the 1920s - specifically "that generation's strong, female pioneers".

Ashley added in a statement: "I'm not ashamed of a few lumps, bumps or cellulite… and you shouldn't be either."

The model's followers welcomed the untouched photos.

Suskimo89 said: "Thank you for using unedited images! It's so nice to see real bodies in ads!"

Another follower added: "Oh my goodness this makes me feel okay about my cellulite. I wish more models would do this. #lovetheskinyourein."

But the comments aren't always so positive.

In October 2017, videos that Ashley shared of her workouts attracted trolls, with some people saying she shouldn't bother trying to lose weight.

Instagram has seen a big rise in users posting unfiltered photos of their acne - or faces with no make-up - as a response to the doctored images of themselves people are sometimes encouraged to promote online.

Actress and presenter Jameela Jamil launched her "I Weigh" campaign in response to what she's described as an "epidemic of low self-esteem" for girls and women because of social media.

It encourages women to share the things in their life that they are proud of - from work achievements to children - rather than focus on body image.