It’s to be expected that Aerie would showcase some its #AerieReal Role Models—Aly Raisman, Iskra Lawrence, and Yara Shahidi—in the latest swim campaign. What we didn’t see coming (and very excited about) is that they will appear alongside their mothers in the new lookbook in a move as unique as it’s deeply personal.

Aerie asked its model to bring their mothers along with them for the shoot and got them to pose sweetly and intimately in the brands swim and apparel collections – all on mothers day no less.

Lawrence appeared together with her mom, Wilma and  Shahidi too with her mom, Keri. Raisman, took it up a notch higher, posing with her younger sister to make a truly family affair.

“I thought they both did such a great job of just being confident in their own skin,” the 23-year-old Olympian tells Glamour. “The whole day was all about having fun rather than what we looked like, as every day should be!”

“The campaign messaging is all about being confident in your own skin and celebrating the influence your role models have played in your life, so it was extra meaningful to have them involved,” Raisman adds.

Raisman credits her mom with being her strength and a source of inspiration especially in trying times like when she was testifying against Larry Nassar, the shamed former USA Gymnastics doctor earlier this year.

“My mom came with me to the sentencing in court because I wanted her there,” the 23-year-old recalls. “She rarely travels with me unless I feel that I really want her there for support. Having my mom there for me makes me feel so much better—she always has my back. People will not always support you along the way, so having my mom there [in court] meant a lot to me.”

Raisman’s mother also motivated the athlete to develop her voice and use her platform to inspire change. “My mom always told me that character is most important,” she says. “When I was younger, she always said she’d rather me have character and be kind than be first place—this especially rings true to what’s going on right now…. She always encourages me to speak up when something isn’t right and is also speaking up publicly as well. I’m proud and appreciative that my mom is so passionate about fixing this disaster that happened. She is helping us put the pieces together.”

“Gold medals don’t make abuse OK—nothing does,” Raisman continues. “Abuse is never OK. It’s not easy speaking up, but it’s so important because no one should ever be treated badly, ever. Abuse should never be tolerated.”

Raisman’s feels obliged to speak out on behalf of her sister Chloe, who is about to go to college, and her peers. “It’s really important to me to try and teach her lessons I’ve learned along the way [by speaking out], in hopes that it helps her as well,” she says. “[Chloe] inspires me to not only speak up for the gymnastics community but also for all the college students who do not feel heard.”

In her continued advocacy for victims of sexual assault, Raisman, through Aerie, has designed a one-piece swimsuit that gives back to Darkness to Light, a non-profit organization that fights child abuse. “Everyone is a survivor of something—we’re all battling something,” she says. “Let’s talk about it. It’s OK to not be OK.” With this alliance, she is drawing attention to some of the resources available through Darkness to Light, which includes a free course called #FliptheSwitch, which teaches adults how to protect children in sports from sexual abuse. (the course completion certificate is signed by Raisman herself.) “Everyone can make a difference, and it starts with you being a leader in your community and taking the much-needed initiative,” she adds.

“Aerie supports the survivors and me and has done so from the very beginning,” Raisman says. “It’s hard to find brands that genuinely care, but Aerie is one of the few and is helping me advocate for change…. Aerie constantly encourages us to be the best version of ourselves and not compare ourselves to others.”

Since last year, Raisman is becoming more aware of her considerable platform and how she can employ it to drive change. “Using your voice to speak up for the right thing is so important—it’s not easy, and people may not agree with it, but that’s why change is so desperately needed,” she says. There remains a lot to be done: “Sexual abuse is everywhere, no matter the industry. The ‘Me Too’ movement is far from over—we’re just getting started by using our voices.”

As we come face to face with the results of our choices, it becomes more apparent that the planet’s resources are after all not infinite, and we are therefore forced to rethink what it means to be fashionable and adjust our spending accordingly.

Conscious and sustainable fashion is now a thing. And since we have a choice, we owe our planet a duty of care to spend on fashion that doesn’t harm the environment or those making our clothing, without losing design creativity and trendiness

In recent times, there are loads of sustainable brands to choose from. Such companies include Rêve En Vert, Antibad and Know the Origin devoted to creating affordable beautiful and sustainable clothing. There are brands like Mayamiko, Reformation, Mother of Pearl and Maiyet who are trying to make a difference. Then there are the big fashion designers like Stella McCartney and Mara Hoffman, who are leading the “green” charge and are vocal about how their brand is becoming better at implementing more sustainability in their businesses.

There are other ways you can become involved too. Fashion is very much an artistic pursuit, and with a background in design, I am drawn to pieces and designers that don’t have the required means to be certified sustainable. Which is why I love  Livia Firth’s 30 Wears campaign, which prompts the customer to really consider if they can wear an item at least 30 times or not before making the purchase (this would sound very absurd to previous generations!)

That’s another way of saying, ‘Do you REALLY love it?’ At this period of cheap fashion, where trendy quickly turns to trashy, an image-obsessed culture where some people can’t be caught dead repeating an outfit, where you can obsess over a dress for an occasion and quickly lose interest afterward – regardless of the cost.

Personally, I do not care much about luxury attributes of an apparel but rather the story behind its origin. Sustainability to a lot of people means having just a few essential classy items in their wardrobe, like the French styled wardrobe. Unfortunately, that is not my style. I enjoy wearing colors and patterns and having just a few items won’t work for me, even though you can combine. I’ll rather buy selectively while still retaining my style and identity.  

I have always loved vintage clothing; I love the thrill of ‘thrifting’ and sorting through treasures. I rummage through vintage shops, the expensive designer ones and the cheap ones alike. Charity shops and Car boots are where I patronize most. I am also more conscious of how I dispose of stuff I no longer need, like selling items I spent good money on through Vestaire Collective or eBay, or either giving them to charity or sell at my local car boot sales and the Women for Women #SheInspires Me carboot sale.

I also try to support small designers and when shopping on big retailer sites such as ASOS and H&M, always search ‘sustainable,’ since there are a lot of such designers in support of the sustainability cause.

Becoming a sustainable consumer doesn’t have a single perfect approach. But change will come gradually as result of increased support and awareness. Hopefully, a time will come when sustainable fashion will become the standard, and you’ll be commended for wearing the same outfit several times in different ways rather it is acceptable to wear a different thing each time                     

Now that Christmas is over and done with, its time to lose all that stuffed turkey induced flab. To get you good and ready for all the spinning classes you have booked in a heady moment of new-year-new-me passion, you’ll need some stylish sportswear. Thankfully, there are a lot of ideas for picture-perfect outfits, basically inspired by chic and sporty supermodels like Gigi and Bella Hadid, Stella Maxwell and to be honest, most of the Victoria Secret Angels

Reminiscent of the 90s look, due to an abundance of crop tops, branded joggers, and retro trainers,it looks better if you can wear the same color head to toe. Bella goes with all red while Kendall is a huge fan of all white outfits.

Neon is back in vogue, so a little smattering of color in your outfit won’t be out of place. Plus, statements leggings are really cool if you want that LA look.

There’s a lot of layering too, which is ideal for winter, so ensure you wear a crossover knitted cardi over a pastel crop top for yoga or barre, while a camo long-sleeved stretch top is good for running.

The point is that you should rock an outfit which you can comfortably wear straight from the gym to lunch without bothering to change because you look well put together. Then again, your outfit needs to serve you at the gym too. You could look all good and stylish, but if the outfit isn’t’ lightweight and breathable then you could easily get overheated and sweaty. Good for you though, as new technology ensure you can get dedicated and high street sportswear that will keep you cool while you exercise- whether you are doing yoga, spinning, pilates, HIIT or barre.

I may not look it, but shopping for handbags for me is a most demanding task. Mainly because I’m usually not a “money ain’t a problem” kind of person, and I know about lots of brands. Therefore I’m apprehensive of getting the wrong bag and being stuck with it forever. Along the way, I have discovered that going with my instincts and that rush of unrestrained covetousness you feel when you come across “the one,” will never disappoint me. That is how I came to own a Hortensia from Wandler. In short, I’ve never loved a bag more.

I came across the brand at a Net-a-Porter presentation and was immediately taken by the stark-white, trapeze shape. Because the brand is relatively new to the market, I was aware that very few women would be flaunting its sheer elegance (a big plus) and would stand out just enough, but not so outlandish that I would loathe being seen with it the next season. I have been carrying it through winter and can barely wait for spring and summer to further rock it. It is large; not unwieldily so, but just enough to hold your makeup bag, iPad, and maybe some crackers. What makes this bag amazing is the price. With a price tag below $1,000, it’s an investment bag (most bags are if quality is your thing) that is worth sacrificing several nights of eating out and having drinks with friends (you don’t have to break the bank).