Victoria Secret has hired its first ever plus sized model, after months of tumultuous PR upsets and a company shake-up that saw its parent company's chief marketing officer Ed Razek step down.
Ali Tate Cutler, who is a UK size 14, is the first woman of that dress size to feature in a Victoria Secret campaign.
The model turned heads while at the launch at the VS flagship store in New York, looking chic and modern in a black lacy bra, high-waisted black trousers and a grey blazer.
While many have praised the move, some have said that it's a somewhat weak win, as the campaign is a collaboration with London brand Bluebella, which already fiercely champions diversity in race and body size through its models.
This means that Ali isn't officially hired by Victoria Secret, but by Bluebella.
The campaign itself is refreshingly diverse, in typical form for Bluebella, and features transgender model and actress May Simón Lifschitz, as well as Olivia Sang and Laura Rakhman-Kidd, who are both women of colour.
However, according to WWD Victoria Secret would not comment on whether these same models would be used in other campaigns for the lingerie giant.
The move comes after months of instances that have caused the brand to tumble in popularity among customers asking for more diverse lingerie options and representation. The company had gained a reputation for championing a very specific kind of body shape - long, lean and toned to the max - over the years, thanks in a large part to its annual runway show.
In a 2018 interview, however, Razek said that "transsexual" models would never be included in the fashion shows as "the show is a fantasy". His comments sparked widespread debate and criticism, and it's been reported that the runway show is cancelled this year.
In recent months the company has made statements about their marketing strategy and promised to respond to the requests of customers.
As Allure notes, the Bluebella range has its limitations when it comes to diversity, too, as bras and teddies only go up to 36DD and underwear and loungewear go up to XL.
For Ali, the move is a positive one, as she told E! News that the brand is "headed in the right direction".
"They are listening to their audience who have requested to see more women of diverse shapes and sizes."
On the experience of representing fuller figures around the world, she said: "I never expected that I was going to see an image of myself on the wall next to these top supermodels that I have been looking up to since I was a little girl."
