Playful Promises collaborates with trans model for Valentine’s Day

Playful Promises has released its latest lingerie line, Ave Maria, for its Valentine’s Day campaign in collaboration with trans model Dani St James.

Emma Parker, the director and founder of Playful Promises, said in a press release: “So much of fashion is negative, and strives on fantasy ideals that women are supposed to aspire to. This is the antithesis of everything we created Playful Promises to represent – we are anti-fashion fashion.”

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? Celebrate your inner icon this Valentine's ? Our new campaign is decadent and divine, featuring trans model @danistjames and epic styling from @magdaleneceleste, shot by @swiczeniuk with MUA @sasilvamua. Dani wears the Empress Bra, @bettiepagelingerie Mesh Gloves and Mesh Corset. Crown is by @sweet.twisted, necklace photographer's own. ✨ Visit the link in our bio to see more. Read what our director/founder Emma had to say below: "So much of fashion is negative, and strives on fantasy ideals that women are supposed to aspire to. This is the anti-thesis of everything we created Playful Promises to represent – we are anti-fashion fashion. Fashion that is accessible, diverse and fun. As the Designer and Founder of Playful Promises I was taken a back by the recent anti-women statements about plus-size women and trans women that recently came from senior figures at Victoria’s Secret. Such a big company should be a leader in our industry but they are letting us all down. We wanted to show them how lingerie marketing could be done, and that we as a small indie brand can actually do it better. We collaborated with Dani St James (a trans model) to celebrate valentine’s and create some fun images, which look amazing but also have artistic merit and are culturally relevant. We were inspired by the symbolism of The Virgin Mary, and how her image is subject to conflict, criticism and control, much like that of our trans sisters. Mary is a recognisable icon of womanhood, where all should be welcome, yet is also a stick used to beat women with in regards sexual morality and purity – we wanted to turn this all on it’s head. Fashion can be fun and thoughtful and for everyone.” . . . . . . . . . . #playfulpromises #instalingerie #uklingerie #uslingerie #valentines #valentinesday #editorial #icon #feminism #divine

A post shared by Playful Promises Lingerie (@playfulpromises) on Jan 23, 2019 at 4:00am PST

Playful Promises has become known for its inclusivity and diversity in model choice.

“As the designer and founder of Playful Promises I was taken aback by the recent anti-women statements about plus-size women and trans women that recently came from senior figures at Victoria’s Secret”, announced Parker, referring to a statement made by Victoria Secret’s chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, in an interview with Vogue.

Playful Promises has previously received criticism from people on social media after announcing its Bettie Page lingerie collection in November 2017 featuring Violet Chachki, a gender fluid drag and burlesque star. But the brand didn’t hold back in its reaction to the negative opinions. Sharing its response in a series of tweets, it wrote: “We chose a gender fluid person that is not represented in the media, and certainly not in the lingerie industry.”

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The new @bettiepagelingerie collection has launched! This raunchy new line features drag and burlesque starlet @violetchachki (winner of Ru Paul's Drag Race) ? The delicious new collection features 2 new overwire sets (one in leopard print, one in emerald green), "handsy" soft cup sets and must-have nightwear. Stock is limited, so don't miss out! ———————————————– You'll notice that there are some items in stock on our UK website, but all items are marked as pre order on our US website. We expect the first drop of stock (overwire sets and red corsolette) in the US around Monday, and the second drop of stock (everything else) in the UK around Monday and the US late next week. If you see an item marked as Pre Order, please do not purchase it with any item not marked as Pre Order, as it causes havoc with our system

A post shared by Playful Promises Lingerie (@playfulpromises) on Nov 15, 2017 at 6:00am PST

The latest campaign encourages people to ‘celebrate your inner icon this Valentine’s’. The line’s own icon, Dani St James, shared pictures from the campaign on Instagram, writing, “THIS is how you do trans inclusive marketing in a non-patronising way.”

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"We are anti-fashion fashion. Fashion that is accessible, diverse and fun." Explore our new divine campaign at the link in our bio ✨ @danistjames wears the Peach Bullet Bra from @bettiepagelingerie, with robe and halo by @magdaleneceleste, and lazercut bracelets by @_ruby.bird_ . . . . . . . . #playfulpromises #instalingerie #uklingerie #uslingerie #valentines #valentinesday #editorial #icon #feminism #divine

A post shared by Playful Promises Lingerie (@playfulpromises) on Jan 23, 2019 at 12:00pm PST

The Valentine’s Day line is named Ave Maria (Latin for ‘Hail Mary’). Parker said: “We were inspired by the symbolism of the Virgin Mary, and how her image is subject to conflict, criticism and control, much like that of our trans sisters. Mary is a recognisable icon of womanhood, where all should be welcome, yet is also a stick used to beat women with in regards sexual morality and purity – we wanted to turn this all on its head. Fashion can be fun and thoughtful and for everyone.”

Playful Promises Valentine’s Day collection is available to shop now.