Ashley Graham is having a moment. Not only did she just have twins, boys Roman and Malachi, earlier this year, but she decided to fully strip down just three-and-a-half months after their birth—for a billboard ad.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been naked on a billboard before,” she told PEOPLE of her decision to pose for Spanx’s new Silver Linings technology ad, a collection of all-white shorts and pants that offer “100% opacity.” But for Graham, it was something she had to see to believe.
“I didn’t believe it,” she said. “Then I had a fitting and I wore black granny panties on purpose, and sure enough, I put on the pants, I bent over in front of the mirror, and I screamed to my assistant, ‘You can’t see the underwear!'” Just one more reason why we love this woman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OK6A9WCTUE
For Graham, it was the first job she’s taken since having her twins, who joined big brother, Isaac, 2. “I’m taking it easy,” she shared. “I’m slowly getting back into work, and I’m picking and choosing very carefully. I don’t want to feel overwhelmed rushing back into work.”
Her decision to do the ad wasn’t an easy one, but she explained she’s happy with herself right where she is. “My body has changed so much,” she said. “I have much more gratitude toward my body because of how much work it’s been through, but it has definitely taken time to, you know, look at my new body, and my postpartum body, and recognize it again.”
Of course, before the shoot she “had a little talk with [herself] in the mirror,” as anyone who is about to shoot an ad naked would. “I said, ‘Everything’s gonna be okay. You look fantastic.'”
“We are thrilled to partner with Ashley on this collection because she exudes confidence and ease, something we could all use more of,” said Spanx president Kim Jones in a press release.
The billboard was unveiled in Los Angeles on Tuesday, where Graham posed fully nude, covered only by the Silver Linings fabric. That’s one way to get people’s eyes on a new product!
