Ashley Graham embraced herstretch marks in a new photo shoot forSwimsuits For All, a swimwear brand she recently collaborated with.- Fans are loving the minimally retouched images, and have shared words of encouragement in response to the photos on Graham's Instagram page.
- The photos were taken by her husband Justin Ervin in their Nebraska backyard.
- Graham told People that she didn't edit her stretch marks because she wanted to show her real body, which might help others overcome their own insecurities.
Approximately six months after giving birth to her first child, Ashley Graham embraced her stretch marks while modeling swimsuits from her new collaboration with Swimsuits For All.
On Wednesday, the model took to Instagram with a photo and video that shows her wearing the Ashley Graham Epitome String Bikini, as well as another image that shows her modeling the Ashley Graham Fearless Crop Top. The images, taken by Graham's husband Justin Ervin, were taken during a photo shoot in their Nebraska backyard.
"Some things I love: a cute bathing suit and a backyard shoot with the family!" Graham wrote on Instagram. "We've had such great time making the most of this summer in Nebraska and these suits have me feeling great for my first summer as a mommy!"
People love how Ashley Graham showed off her post-pregnancy stretch marks in her photo shoot
"Thank you for normalizing stretch marks. Love you❤️" one person wrote.
"Thank you for being REAL!" another person commented. "You are beautiful. All these celebrities that seemingly 'bounce back' and look like they never gave birth to a child is so unrealistic."
"Gorgeous," another Instagram user added. "I've felt really insecure about the stretch marks on my stomach recently. Thank you for showing us that all bodies are beautiful"
In an email sent to Insider, a representative for Swimsuits for All said the brand is also "thrilled with how the photo shoot came to life," and appreciates Graham and her husband "taking the time to collaborate."
"Ashley looks amazing, as usual," a Swimsuits for All representative said. "The confidence that she exudes really encompasses everything we stand for at Swimsuits For All."
And people seem to be snapping up the swimsuits Graham helped design.
At the time of writing, the Ashley Graham Epitome String Bikini is almost sold out on Swimsuits For All's website, and is available in sizes 14 and 16 for $50.40 (reduced from $126), while the Ashley Graham Fearless Crop Top is still available in all sizes for $38.20 (reduced from $88).
The model told People that she wants fans to see what she really looks like
In an exclusive interview with People, Graham said that although she's always asked what she wants to retouch and "take out" of photo-shoot images, she opted not to change these photos — aside from removing "a clamp holding up the DIY backdrop."
"I want everybody to know genuinely," Graham told People. "I want people to see who I am because everybody has a story."
She added: "A lot of women I speak to have image issues, body issues around confidence. I want them to understand that we all have things that society has told us to cover up and why do we need to do that? So here I am with mine out and about and proud."
- Read more:
- 12 photos that show why Ashley Graham is the queen of maternity fashion
- Ashley Graham broke her front tooth after eating a frozen cookie, and laughed it off by sharing a video of her new look on Instagram
- Ashley Graham shared a video of her pumping breast milk in an Uber — a reminder of how demanding breastfeeding is
- Why Ashley Graham is this generation's body-positive icon