Curvy model Robyn Lawley calls for a boycott of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: 'I've felt like s*** every year looking at that show'


Curvy model Robyn Lawley is sick of being underrepresented on some of the world’s most prominent catwalks. And now she’s taking aim at one of the biggest, and most influential — the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show — for its lack of inclusivity.

The Australian model took to her Instagram to post a photo of herself with her 3-year-old daughter, Ripley, and announced that she had created an online petition in an attempt to get people to boycott the famous lingerie show.

“Until Victoria’s Secret commits to representing ALL women on stage, I am calling for a complete boycott of this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,” she wrote, directing attention to a link to a Change.org petition. “It’s time Victoria’s Secret recognized the buying power and influence of women of ALL ages, shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.”

Lawley, who has posed for Vogue Italia and Cosmopolitan Australia, and was the first plus-size model to be featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, told The Daily Telegraph that her daughter is a significant motivator of this message and her mission.

“I’ve felt like s*** every year looking at that show,” Lawley said. “I shouldn’t have to feel that way. Ripley is going to have my body shape and my body size. … The fact that it affected me so much growing up and we are all compared to what is deemed ‘perfection,’ I don’t want her to have to experience that.”

Promising to not give money to the multibillion-dollar company is just one part of the larger effort to get Victoria’s Secret to become more diverse and inclusive. In addition, the model is teaming up with bra company ThirdLove for a social media campaign with a philanthropic element.

Robyn Lawley asks women around the world to boycott the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. (Photo: Instagram/Robin Lawley)
Robyn Lawley asks women around the world to boycott the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. (Photo: Instagram/Robin Lawley)

They are encouraging women to post photos of themselves to their social media without any airbrushing and to use the hashtag #WeAreAllAngels to spread awareness. In return for each post, the brand known for inclusivity will donate one bra to a national nonprofit that collects and distributes bras to homeless women and girls around the country called I Support the Girls.

ThirdLove’s chief creative officer, Ra’el Cohen, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that she knew this cause was important after noticing more women speaking out against VS.

“Victoria’s Secret has dominated the space by telling women that there’s only one type of body that is beautiful. We just think that women should expect more from brands that they support,” she explains. “We really hope that efforts like this are a call to women to support brands that project a realistic point of view for women. We believe as a company that women of all shapes, sizes, ethnicities, and ages are beautiful.”

The brand isn’t the first to back such an effort. Just last year, Lane Bryant relaunched its #ImNoAngel campaign with model Ashley Graham right on time for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The hashtag accumulated thousands of photos from women all over the world sharing the imperfections that make them both unique and beautiful.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

The anti-Victoria’s Secret runway show proves all women can be angels
Curvy model mimics Victoria’s Secret ads ‘since it ain’t happening in real life’
‘Curviest model ever’ walks fashion’s most inclusive runway

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