This Lorna Jane Photo Is Going Viral For All The Right Reasons
Lorna Jane has been a beloved fitness fashion brand for many Australians, aiming to empower women to live their healthiest life and inspire them through their products.
However the brand has faced a backlash of recent years for not stocking plus-sized products. In fact, one man's complaint that his wife couldn't buy anything in the store because it was too small went viral last year.
Founder Lorna Jane Clarkson has previously told News.com.au that there is a good reason why they haven't sold plus size-clothing in the past.
“We make the sizes that sell in our stores,” she said.
“Right now we have XS — XL and that’s because that’s what our customers want. If we were going to try a larger size we would sell them in a store that demanded larger sizes, but that hasn’t resulted in sales for us.”
This is reflected in their advertising and in their Instagram feeds - they typically use very slim models with a narrow build to promote their clothing.
However this doesn't take into account the fact that many people who wear the brand are just beginning their fitness journey, that skinniness is not always equivalent to fitness, and that these images can actually have the ability to make people feel worse, rather than inspiring them, as this look is unattainable for some.
So fans of the brand were pleasantly surprised recently when their feed was greeted with quite a different image to Lorna Jane's usual posts.
The stunning rainforest image features a fit, and curvy, model confidently wearing her activewear.
Women rushed to comment their appreciation for the change.
"All women whether they have curves or not are real! Beautiful picture and glad to see that diversity is being represented more and more by your company," one wrote.
"This is a photo I actually stopped and looked at. Wonderful to know you support us who don't have time to spent 3hours at a gym each but do enjoy an active lifestyle body .. do feel more comfortable going to your stores now," another wrote.
"Fantastic to see a non stereotypical model. This image will help inspire and motivate women starting their fitness journey. Thank LJ for keeping it real," one added.
Recently, the brand asked customers to 'register your interest for sizes outside of the standard range' on their Facebook. Lorna Jane Clarkson also posted a statement on their website to indicate that they might be expanding their sizes.
"Our activewear is available in sizes from XXS to XL, which is what we've historically had a customer base to support and is in line with fashion industry standards," she wrote.
"But, as an individual with strong beliefs, I always feel as though we can do more.
"We would love nothing more than for Lorna Jane to lead the industry in sizes outside of common fashion industry standards and we need your help and support to get there."
This is certainly a wonderful disruption to see in the fitness industry, and challenges the unrealistic expectations we often see in our feed. Go, LJ!
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire.
