Australia's first plus size bikini billboard is here!

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Introducing Our 'Beach Please' Billboard Campaign

‘Beach Please’ is the message we’re sending to make everybody feel included and we’re doing it by putting a plus size model on bikini billboards across the country - a first for Australia!

Key updates:


Mon 3 Feb 11.45am
By Aimee Littleboy

THE MORNING SHOW SPEAKS TO APRIL ABOUT 'BEACH PLEASE' CAMPAIGN AND BODY CONFIDENCE

April and Curvy Swimwear spokesperson Mel Greig, spoke to The Morning Show about the billboard campaign and normalising plus size bodies.

April told The Morning Show when she saw the billboard, "I couldn't talk, because I was absolutely speechless - it was one of the most special moments of my life. When I look at the billboard, I see a hot confident and happy woman."

 

Read the 7News article here and stay tuned for more updates on our 'Beach Please' body positivity campaign!


Mon 3 Feb 9.30am
By Aimee Littleboy

HIT 90.9 GOLD COAST REPORTS ON OUR 'BEACH PLEASE' CAMPAIGN

This morning, April spoke to Bianca, Dan and Ben from Hit 90.9 Gold Coast about the billboard campaign as well as body positivity vs unhealthy promotion. 

April told Hit 90.9, "I've never seen someone who looks like me on a billboard before, whether in swimwear or kind of in anything else really. I don't feel like this is something that has been done before, especially not in swimwear." 

After they spoke to April, the show took calls from a number of listeners where they shared their thoughts on the campaign. 

Kylie told Hit 90.9, "I do believe that we need to have more of this in the media, so that these women feel comfortable, how will they ever get to the beach or a boot camp or the gym or out for a walk if there aren't these clothes for them to wear to get out there and work on their health."

 Listen to the full segment here


Mon 1 Feb 12.45pm
By Aimee Littleboy

'BEACH PLEASE' MAKES WAVES IN MELBOURNE

Our fabulous model, April Hélène-Horton, couldn't believe her eyes this morning when she saw herself larger than life on a towering Melbourne billboard. 

The 'Beach Please' campaign officially launched across Australia this morning with the image of bikini clad April beaming with joy on the beach at sunrise. She captured a gorgeous video for social media showing off her history making billboard. 

 

Stay tuned for more updates as the campaign gains momentum around the country. 


Mon 1 Feb 12:07pm
By Aimee Littleboy

THE COURIER MAIL REPORT ON OUR 'BEACH PLEASE' CAMPAIGN

Before the billboards went live, our 'Beach Please' body positivity campaign started making waves. The Courier Mail in Queensland reported on the new billboard advertising campaign featuring body positivity activist and model, April Hélène-Horton. 

April told the Courier Mail, "As someone who never felt confident as a teen, to be asked to be a part of this campaign felt like a dream. I don't think young me would have been able to believe it if I could tell her."

"I feel really proud and excited - I look GOOD!"

Subscribers can read the full story here


Fri 29 Jan 1:38pm
By Aimee Littleboy

9HONEY GETS ON BOARD WITH OUR 'BEACH PLEASE' CAMPAIGN

Our body positivity campaign, 'Beach Please' is gaining momentum as the media discovers our fabulous message. 

Bianca Farmakis, writer at 9Honey, has embraced our message encouraging women to return to the beach and enjoy summer regardless of their shape or size. 

The campaign launches on Monday morning with images of body love activist April Hélène-Horton featured on billboards across the country. This will be the first time in Australia that a curve model has featured in a billboard advertising campaign.  

Read the 9Honey article here and stay tuned for more updates on our amazing 'Beach Please' body positivity campaign. 


Wed 27 Jan 4:00pm
By Aimee Littleboy

Australia’s First Plus Size Bikini Billboards

From February 1st, gorgeous body love activist April Hélène-Horton will feature on Curvy by Capriosca Swimwear billboards across Australia, including Queensland, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.

April wearing our Coral Bloom bikini set during the 'Beach Please' photoshoot

April wears our Coral Bloom Wrap Bikini Top and High Waisted Pant | Image by Jez Smith

A massive thanks to oOh!media for giving us the opportunity to have these billboards across Australia! Together they have helped us find some excellent locations in Sydney and Melbourne to get the best exposure. 

The campaign will appear on digital billboards for one week across Australia. An oOh!media spokesperson said: “It’s important to promote body positivity and confidence among girls and women of all ages. That is why we’re proud to support this campaign, which we are running across various billboards nationally.”

Jez and April talking during the photoshoot

Jez Smith and April Hélène-Horton talking on the beach during our 'Beach Please' photoshoot

We’re wanting women to embrace their bodies and get back to the beach. Owner and Director of Curvy Swimwear has said, “We hear from some customers that wearing our bathers has given them confidence and encouragement to go to the beach in a swimsuit for the first time in 20-years. Imagine missing out on something simple like a swim because you’re so fearful of your body being judged by strangers.”

The Model

April Hélène-Horton is a writer, podcaster and activist. She spent her life being told by people that ‘you could become a model if you lost weight!’ - a phrase which has taken a mind of its own as she becomes the first truly plus size model to appear on an Australian billboard. 

“When I look at the billboard, I see a hot, confident and happy woman. Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, abilities, looks. We need to normalise it, to send the message that every body is a good body.”

April wearing our Velvet swimwear at the photoshoot

April wears our Velvet Lilac Triangle Bikini Top and High Cut Pant | Image by Jez Smith

April knew she needed to speak not only to her family and friends about body positivity and feminism, but to anyone that would listen. She has created a dedicated space for body acceptance and fat positivity online through her fabulous Instagram account, her blog and podcast! She took on the identity of ‘The Bodzilla’ a year ago to give a real voice to her passion for self-love and acceptance.

April getting her makeup touched up

April getting her makeup touched up during our 'Beach Please' Photoshoot

The world might not be ready for marginalised bodies to take up space but The Bodzilla is here to make room for everyone and show the door to anyone who wants to peddle diet culture and harmful BS based in social conditioning and bias.

The Photographer

Jez Smith is the photographer behind our ‘Beach Please’ Campaign, and took the photo of April that will be proudly displayed on billboards across Australia.

He is well-known in Australia as one of the industry’s most sought-after professionals. Jez has appeared on ‘Australia’s Next Top Model’ as a full-time judge/photographer for 3 cycles, ‘America’s Next Top Model’ as a guest judge and photographer for 3 cycles, ‘Asia’s Next Top Model’ and ‘The Face’ (with Naomi Campbell) as an industry expert, judge and photographer. 

Jez and April talking on the beach

Jez and April talking on the beach during our 'Beach Please' photoshoot

He’s worked for all major fashion publications including Vogue Italia, Harper’s Bazaar (UK and AUS), Vogue (AUS), In Style and Grazia (UK and AUS).

“Throughout my 25-year long career in the fashion industry I have always tried to show the real diversity of feminine beauty...to me all women, no matter what size, shape, or age, are beautiful.

I feel very strongly that a woman’s size or shape is actually nothing to do with anyone but herself, and we should in fact all mind our own business...but while there is a lack of visibility of ‘real’ body shapes in the media and bullying/body shaming continue to cause pain and hurt on social media, I am determined to do my part in not portraying a homogenised version of female beauty.”

April modelling a bikini on the beach

April wears our Honey Comb Plum Underwire Bikini Top and High Waisted Pant | Image by Jez Smith

Stay tuned for more updates about our ‘Beach Please’ Billboard Campaign and click here to subscribe to our newsletter!