Whether you shop at there or not, many of you have probably heard of Aerie due to how often it has been in the media over the past few years. Aerie is a lingerie retailer company, owned by American Eagle. In 2014, Aerie made a huge leap in the way of change in the industry and launched its #AerieREAL campaign. In this campaign they committed themselves to no photo retouching, along with promoting body positivity.

With such a radical change comes even greater risk. Is it possible that untouched photos could be good for a brand, or would it ultimately hurt sales? We’re made to believe that “attractive”, although unrealistic, models sell, which is why the fashion industry is full of supermodel body types. But could a more realistic beauty be the way to go?

According to Aerie’s sales ever since they launched the campaign: yes. Although many companies struggled through 2015, Aerie’s sales rose dramatically. Their latest report says that sales went up 20 percent overall, and 26 percent in the fourth quarter alone. It is safe to say that the positive responses of the campaign are a huge reason for this success. Just search the hashtag #AerieREAL on Instagram and you will find thousands of pictures posted by Aerie customers and supporters showing off their love for the brand and its changes as well as their own beautiful bodies.

#AerieREAL has come a long way since it first began. Although it was the minority of responses, it had some criticisms in the beginning. Some thought that the company wasn’t being very inclusive, since most of its models were still relatively thin. It's likely that the company was only testing the waters, since it was so unheard of in the lingerie business to do what they were doing. Even so, the models that they showed were not of supermodel status and were much closer to, well, real women.

In 2016, Aerie began taking it a step forward in featuring curvy model Barbie Ferreira in their swimsuit ads.

Iskra Lawrence was also named the newest official brand representative. Iskra has an amazing story, including the fact that she was dropped from her first modeling agency for her hips being too big.

She has helped Aerie to partner with the National Eating Disorder Association, which she is an ambassador for. Together, they have launched the NEDA Inspires Seal of Approval campaign, with the first award going to Aerie for “corporate responsibility through authenticity in advertising & more”. Unrealistic body images in the media are a main source for the rise in eating disorders across America, and the #AerieREAL campaign is looking to change that.

Ultimately, Aerie is making waves in an industry that really needed it. The company took huge risks to do something that they thought would be better for its customers by encouraging them to love their real selves. Iskra embodies the long-term goal of the company in her statement, “I want to create a lasting impression in the fashion industry.” Although the company’s financial success is important, that’s not what it’s all about. It’s about making change in a harsh culture that is in desperate need of some fresh ideas. #AerieREAL may just be the start of something bigger.