New from Playful - Regalia
Regalia is our new sub-brand, mixing together eclectic and erotic accessories with fashion-forward lingerie that can be worn as outerwear to help you elevate your style.
We wanted to show the alternative and powerful nature of the brand, so we collaborated with performer, model and photographer Ayesha H on the collection photoshoot. Ayesha showcased her multiple talents in this photoshoot including using her sword skills! She also represented her South Asian heritage in these photographs.
Here’s what she said about the campaign:
"I’ve been a professional fashion and commercial photographer for 11 years, a circus performer for 10, model for 8, and specialised in weapons performance (Knife thrower, bullwhip expert and martial artist or the last 5).
As a woman in these very archetypically male run professions/industries, I’ve always found what that imparts upon my femininity interesting. That is to say, on one side there seems to be an expectation that I have to discard my feminine energy to be taken seriously, particularly as a young brown female, where the idea of sexual autonomy and acceptance of your own power to be sexy as a woman is still somewhat taboo, or that somehow my skill sets come secondary to my appearance/expectation to be sexy in a very typical male gaze dictated way.
The truth is the two are not mutually exclusive, I can be a strong woman who outranks most men with her weapons skills, while championing my feminine energy and wearing it proudly. The Regalia campaign was the perfect opportunity to showcase exactly that! It’s been such a privilege working with a lingerie company that is renowned for inclusivity of feminine identity in every context, and getting the chance to capture and represent my skills behind the camera, and in front of it.
Our ability to feel sexy as women should be dictated by our love of ourselves and a want to wrap the amazing powerful vehicle of life that is our bodies in beautiful lingerie! "