LONDON, Feb 8 — Gigi and Bella Hadid are the undisputed queens of the catwalk, but the supermodel sisters are being given a run for their money... by their cousin.
Nineteen-year-old Joann Van Den Herik, the niece of Gigi and Bella’s mother Yolanda Hadid, has just landed a major lingerie campaign for the UK department store Debenhams. The plus-size model has been unveiled as the new face and body of the retailer’s Spring/Summer 2018 “Gorgeous DD+” lingerie collection, which offers pretty bras and bodies up to 40HH cup size (UK).
Netherlands-based Van Den Herik, who counts more than 60,000 followers on Instagram, has built a social media following based on her candid messages supporting body positivity.
“I’ve always wanted to be a model but didn’t realise that there was a market for my shape and size,” the model said in a statement. “I think it’s very important to show all the boys and girls out there that size doesn’t matter and that you’re perfect the way you are. I translate that into my work as a model and on social media. I’m a strong believer in body-positivity and that everybody is beautiful.”
Sharing an image from the campaign in which she sports a pastel pink lacy body, Van Den Herik also revealed to her followers that her photos had not been airbrushed or photoshopped.
The body positive movement has been given a high-profile boost over recent years, thanks to the stratospheric rise of plus size models and ambassadors such as Ashley Graham and Iskra Lawrence. — AFP-Relaxnews
