Why Ashley Graham Didn’t Retouch Her Stretch Marks In Her Latest Fashion Campaign

From Oprah Magazine

Ashley Graham deserves a standing ovation today as she’s explained the badass reason she decided to show off her stretch marks in a new fashion campaign.

On Thursday, the 32-year-old model shared a series of photos – shot by her husband Justin Ervin – of herself modelling a range of swimwear for her new size inclusive swimwear line with Swimsuits For All.

In the snaps, the new mother’s stretch marks across her stomach are proudly displayed – a decision Graham has addressed in a bid to normalise images of women’s diverse bodies.

‘There’s always a question of what do you want us to retouch, and what do you want us to take out? And I said, “Nothing”,’ except from a clamp holding up the DIY backdrop,’ she tells People.

‘I want everybody to know genuinely… I want people to see who I am because everybody has a story.’

Graham says she wants her stretch marks to be seen and for other women to feel empowered to show off their own.

‘A lot of women I speak to have image issues, body issues around confidence,’ she continues. ‘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.’

The photos have gone down a storm with her Instagram followers, with several fans thanking her for ‘normalising stretch marks' and being 'real'.

The star, who gave birth to her son Isaac earlier this year, adds that she’s proud of her body.

‘It looks so simple and beautiful, but powerful,’ she notes. ‘I’ve got more weight on me. I’ve stretch marks, and in the beginning I really had to have a lot of conversations with myself and tell myself, "Okay, new body, new mindset." But after this photo shoot, I felt so empowered because I was like, "Yes. I look good. I feel good. This is my new mum bod".'

The campaign shots come weeks after Graham and Ervin collaborated together on several of her fashion shoots while staying on her Nebraska family farm amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

‘Justin and I were already in a rhythm of shooting together in quarantine,’ she says.

‘I feel like I've had more time with Isaac and [at] home than I ever would have had,’ she adds. ‘And that really is a silver lining for me.’

Last year, Graham shared a partially-nude photo of her body, displaying the stretch marks her body has developed since becoming pregnant.

‘Same same but a little different,’ she captioned the shot.

The post has been praised by fans for being 'so real' and 'honest and brave' and has received over 1.4 million ‘likes’.

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