Is This Curvy Model the Next Ashley Graham?
The new Selfridges everyBODY campaign celebrates female bodies, no matter their shape or size. (Photo: Courtesy of Selfridges everyBODY)
Move over Ashley Graham, there’s a new plus-size model on the rise — and she’s equally as fierce. Meet Mahalia Handley, the curvy star of Selfridges’ new everyBODY campaign for the English department store’s new Body Studio.
In addition to her latest job, the 23-year-old Australian has already appeared in campaigns for Topshop, the Kardashian Kollection, and editorials worldwide. But Selfridges couldn’t be a better fit for the body-positive activist. The new initiative highlights the beauty of the female body, whatever the size or shape. “So excited to be a part of the campaign and opening for Selfridges everybody beautiful. Yes for diversity!” she wrote on Instagram.
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Mahalia looks stunning in the new BoPo campaign for Selfridges. (Photos: Instagram/Mahaliahandley and Selfridges EveryBODY)
Shot by photographer Norbert Schoerner, with an accompanying video choreographed by Wayne McGregor, the campaign visuals feature real women chosen for their strength, personality, and presence. Teaming up with other diverse models, Handley looks stunning in sheer black lingerie.
Mahalia hopes her Selfridges campaign will help shine a light on diversity in the modeling industry. (Photo: Instagram/Mahaliahandley)
Handley, who is of Irish and Maori heritage, hopes the campaign will throw weight behind the body-positive movement and highlight increasing diversity in the fashion industry. “‘Everyone is beautiful’ is the message I would like to convey to girls around the world,” she says. “Mixed race, plus-size women are also confident and beautiful women. Women derive so much confidence and power from models wearing swimsuits and lingerie — it’s massively important to me that I keep spreading a positive message and continue to represent a very real diversity in fashion.”
Inspirational! The model often shares body-positive messages on social media. (Photo: Instagram/mahaliahandley)
Beyond appearing in a campaign for a major chain, Handley is using her voice and social media to further promote a body-positive message. Sharing a picture of the campaign to Instagram, she wrote, “Don’t stop chasing your dreams, work hard and celebrate your body! I can’t even begin to express how much this message means to me. Cried like a baby when I saw it!”
