The women behind lingerie brand PrimaDonna in front of the camera of Charlotte Abramow
Celebrating one-hundred years of craftsmanship. It is a milestone that lingerie group Van de Velde does not want to let pass unnoticed. For this special occasion, the lingerie group put the women who normally work behind the scenes in the spotlight. Or, better said, in front of the camera. Belgian art photographer Charlotte Abramow, known for the video clips she directed for singer Angèle, captured them authentically, honestly, and in all their natural beauty.
PrimaDonna women in the picture
Creating beautiful, stylish lingerie with the perfect fit for women with a larger cup size. That is the mission of PrimaDonna with the goal of letting every woman radiate with pride. Stunning lingerie that fits like a glove gives your self-confidence a boost and leaves you feeling good about yourself. Realizing this important mission requires teamwork. From the designers to the stitchers and from the CEO to the many faithful retail partners of PrimaDonna, they all stand behind their brand as one woman, each and every one fulfilling their own important role. To give a face to the many women who work for PrimaDonna every day with heart and soul, lingerie group Van De Velde invited them to take their place in front of the camera. The call received many enthusiastic responses, proof of the passion and commitment of the many women behind the brand.
Proud of their brand
Marleen Vaesen is CEO of lingerie group Van de Velde and also one of the models of this unique photo shoot.
“Our stitchers, suppliers, retail partners, ... they all contribute to the success of PrimaDonna. It is also very clear that these women are proud of their brand, because they really wanted to appear in front of the camera themselves as ambassadors. Thanks to PrimaDonna they feel good in their own skin, which in turn enables them to be strong professionals too. It's great to see that they wanted and dared to show themselves to other women in this way.”
Kathleen Baeten, a stitcher in the PrimaDonna studio, can only add to this:
“PrimaDonna gives me a good feeling. It's my work and my life, the place where I feel good about myself and where I blossom.”
The authentic portraits of Charlotte Abramow
PrimaDonna called in photographer Charlotte Abramow, the woman behind the famous music videos of pop singer Angèle, for this special photo shoot. Charlotte is known for portraying people with a lot of attention and respect for their personality. For PrimaDonna she made a series of honest, authentic portraits while also illustrating how the lingerie of PrimaDonna makes women radiate with pride and self-confidence.
“I really appreciated PrimaDonna’s initiative of shining the light on the women who make PrimaDonna, the ones hidden behind the scenes. Lingerie is often portrayed as a conveyor of desire, focusing on standardized, young, slim, often objectified or fragmented bodies. As if the only way to appreciate lingerie was from a sensual perspective. What I like about PrimaDonna, and this project, is that this isn’t the only aspect. It also supports women in their daily lives. It was more then only lingerie. I've photographed those who design and make this lingerie, and who actually feel comfortable and supported in it. I’ve photographed women of different ages, with everyday, authentic silhouettes and larger cup sizes. I didn’t edit the skin or bodies on these images at all. I admired their ease and confidence in themselves and in their initiative. I enjoyed capturing these women’s strength and the bonds they share, and even feeling their friendship at times. They lived this experience together, supported each other, and were all proud and confident. There wasn’t a single hint of anxiety on this shoot: Everyone came, stood tall, and looked straight into the camera.” Charlotte Abramow
Accentuating beauty with gorgeous lingerie
Carole Lambert is the Brand Design Manager of PrimaDonna and model for one day:
“I really wanted to work with Charlotte Abramow, as she portrays people in an incredibly beautiful and unique way. With this photo shoot we want to give people an important message: That beauty and self-confidence have nothing to do with stereotypes, but rather with your passion and your life story. Each body tells its own story and possesses a unique beauty.”
Greet De Wilde is the IC team leader and participated in the photo shoot:
“As a young girl I really had a complex about my large breasts. At the time you had few options when it came to lingerie and PrimaDonna was an immense revelation to me. Now I'm 49 and feel great about my body. If you can wear a bra that's super comfortable, beautiful, and feminine, everything just falls into place."
An ode to all women
The result of the photo shoot will be revealed during a preview on the 24th of September. It serves as an ode to women and to the beautiful lingerie that makes them feel even stronger and more confident. Brigitte Moes, account manager region northeast Netherlands, affirms this:
“Despite the fact that we, as women, can sometimes be so uncertain about ourselves, we are all beautiful and unique. By allowing ourselves to wear beautiful lingerie, we gain just that little bit more self-confidence and we can communicate that confidence back to the world.”
The visuals of this project are available here:
videos:
