Few people have shaped the fashion industry as Ashley Graham in her 20-year career — and as so many friendships are formed in the age of social media, our relationship with the Model, Entrepreneur, and Body Activist started in the DMs.
As the story goes, Knix CEO (and longtime Ashley Graham admirer), Joanna Griffiths, slid into the Supermodel’s inbox in the hopes of sending a few samples. As Graham told Vogue, “they just became my favorites.” Soon, what began as a humble exchange evolved into a meaningful partnership, with Graham taking her place as Knix’s first-ever Global Ambassador.
With the launch of our inaugural Ashley Graham x Knix collaboration — a capsule collection infused with Graham’s favorite fabrics and silhouettes — we sat down with the visionary behind the collection herself.
Like all her endeavors, she approached the collection's creation with confidence and precision. Over the past few years, she notes, there’s been a shift toward comfort; the way people wear lingerie has evolved. “It was really about comfort and sexy combined,” says Graham. “We really haven’t seen the two intertwined to the degree I’m striving for constantly.”
Until now, that is. Inspired by the art of all bodies, her blueprint came to life in the form of a fusion of sexy mesh fabrics and luxuriously soft micro modal materials. From underwear and bodysuits with cheeky peeks of sheerness to second-skin bralettes and boxer briefs, it’s lingerie that can be lived in.
While the lingerie category tends to be saturated with gauzy, underwired garments that place the focus on being seen and — dare we say — the male gaze, her new collection transcends aesthetics. As an enduring Body Activist, it was essential for Graham that the collection pieces mark a shift inward, a loving embrace of the body you’re in.
In her own words, the collection is “the embodiment of women feeling empowered, sexy, comfortable, and confident at any stage of their life.” It’s a powerful sensation to arouse — and one Graham got to witness in real-time at the Ashley Graham x Knix photoshoot where she was joined by five casting call winners, each of whom was handpicked by the Model.
Just looking at the photos, I tell her, the warmth between her and the other models — some of whom stepped in front of the camera for the first time — is palpable. She confirms my speculations, admitting to being just as nervous to step onto set as they were. But once the music was blasting and the nerves melted away, there was nothing but impeccable vibes.
“They were giving me a run for my money on set, doing group shots is not easy,” she says. “Everybody was just bouncing and jumping and dancing, [it was] just like hanging out with your girlfriends in your panties.”
Unlike a regular photo shoot, Graham remarks, the casting call models were invited to show up in a very particular way. Each applicant was asked to submit a video response to Graham’s question: why do you want to share your beauty with the world? The winners — Arielle Estoria, Tatiana Plascencia, Carly Compton, Indi Robinson, and Korrina Estrada — were selected based on their heartfelt responses and drive for positive change.
At its core, the collection is part of an ongoing mission to challenge mainstream notions of who and what is considered sexy, something that Graham and Knix both share in.
Like many women and people, Graham has had to learn to love what sets her apart. What were once pain points in her journey to self-love have become her greatest assets in her bid to reshape — obliterate, even — beauty norms.
In a viral Tedx Talk from 2016, Graham was already a long way from being the 12-year-old who was discovered in a shopping mall in her native Nebraska. Still, the ripples from her resounding speech and her subsequent breakout into supermodel-dom are being felt.
“I felt free once I realized I was never going to fit the narrow mold society wanted me to fit in,” she says fiercely in her talk. “I was never going to be perfect enough for an industry that defines perfection from the outside in. And that’s OK. Rolls, curves, cellulite, all of it. I love every part of me.”
Looking back to that pivotal moment, she can say confidently that progress has been made in the realm of representation. “Is it enough? No. Do we need more visibility of all shapes and sizes, ethnicities, and ages? Yes,” she voices.
From a young age, her mom (whom she’s cited as her biggest role model) instilled confidence in her. As a young model grappling with the pressures of fame and beauty standards, she often found herself revisiting moments of self-assurance she felt as a kid as a means of propelling herself forward.
And self-love — just like social progress — takes work. Whether it’s sticky notes on the mirror or saying affirmations aloud, it’s something you have to want for yourself.
When it comes to moving things forward in the cult of fashion and beauty, the same principles apply. “I think the whole point is that there is no definition of beauty,” says Graham. “It’s accepting who you are, loving the differences in yourself, and not conforming.”
It’s also precisely what she wants people to feel when stepping into the new collection. “I want them to feel empowered, sexy, and cozy — like an extension, not only [of] me, but of a confident version of themselves on days they don’t feel it,” she says. “When they put it on and see the tag, they’re remembering to be bold, brilliant, and beautiful.”