When a model's livelihood relies on her looks, what happens when her appearance changes? For Elly Mayday, the answer is to just keep on modeling.
While undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, the plus-sized Mayday has lost her hair and gained some scars, but she remains front and center in ads for Vancouver-based Forever Yours Lingerie, which caters to women of all sizes. In addition, the company has donated a portion of its sales to supporting Mayday while she continues treatment.
It seems to be a banner month for shattering norms in the lingerie space, following Aerie's commitment not to retouch ads. Don't go looking for unretouched photos on the Forever Yours Lingerie site, as Photoshop features as heavily as lace bras. But it's still nice to see two brands that have moved away from unrealistic perfection. (Victoria's Secret, why is everyone so glowy on your site?)
While cynics cry marketing ploy, it seems to me that it's a win-win for brand and consumer alike. Hopefully it'll inspire other brands to follow suit.
See another pic of Mayday below from her first Forever Yours shoot after treatment, when she dyed her hair teal green for ovarian cancer awareness.
