To mark its 20th anniversary, Quebec company Lingerie Emma tapped five local personalities whose ages and body types don't match what's common in lingerie advertising.
These are Saskia Thuot, Marie-Claude Barrette, Lulu Hughes, Kim Richardson and Tyo, who all agreed to be posed in lingerie.
Emma lingerie
The goal is to put an end to the hurtful labels that women are often given.
“It's been 20 years since I heard the woman at my company and now I think it's time more than ever to speak up about what I heard,” said Emma Dunn, owner of Lingerie Emma, in an interview at LCN.
Emma lingerie
Founder of Lingerie Emma, aged just 14, has also seen several people call her derogatory and insulting names.
“I was often told, 'Emma, you're too young so you won't make it'.” [On mâa aussi dit] that I’m hysterical,” says Emma Dunn.
“These are labels that are stuck on our backs that we didn’t choose,” she adds.
Emma lingerie
For Saskia Thuot, the change in mentality must first take place among women, who are often very critical of their appearance.
“We hear girls criticizing themselves all the time,” she proclaims.
Emma lingerie
“When she came up to me, I said to myself, 'Let's see!' Even I didn't allow myself to do that. It's like I no longer have the right to take my clothes off. It was a thing of the past. When she asked me that, I said to myself: “I have no business there! I'm not beautiful enough, I'm not thin enough and I'm too old. “It’s not for me,” commented Lulu Hughes.
Emma lingerie
“It is this discourse that has to change.” It is not others who will change it for us. It’s up to us to do it first,” adds Saskia Thuot.
“The shape has changed now. “It’s evolving and that’s good, but it needs people like Emma,” she adds.
“When I saw the photos and everything, it had been a very long time since I had felt so beautiful and radiant,” Lulu Hughes also mentions.
Emma lingerie
For Emma Dunn, this campaign also represents an opportunity to strengthen the feeling of “sisterhood” between women.
“Women, when we come together, it's the most beautiful thing. Women are very powerful,” she says.
To watch the full interview, watch the video above.