Aerie Embeds #AerieREAL Positivity In Its Customer Experience

As Jennifer Foyle, global brand president of American Eagle Outfitters and Aerie, told us in 2015, the apparel retailer learned a few lessons on the road to launching #AerieREAL, its commitment to use real models with lumps, bumps, stretchmarks, wrinkles, curves—and the confidence to be proud of their natural beauty and rock their whole selves. “As a company, we had to unlearn and change our mindset,” she said. “We were so programmed to retouch a scar or cover up a tattoo—it was a completely new approach and new way to speak to our customers.”

Three years later, Aerie—AEO’s kid sister, with a focus on intimates, apparel, activewear and swim collections—continues to challenge its peers and consumers to embrace authentic, real women’s needs and bodies. That’s why it’s now refreshing #AerieREAL with a new omnichannel update that challenges its dressing rooms, bra-fitting and is changing how women shop for bras with a “Feel Real Good” shopping experience that aims to empower customers and push body positivity forward. Hence its tagline and customer commitment to “Make you shine.”

With Aerie firmly established as a leader in the body positivity and inclusivity movement, it’s now introducing a new 360-degree bra shopping experience that creates a positive and supportive shopping environment to help women feel good about their real selves.

The series of initiatives launches as part of the Aerie Bras Make You Feel Real Good campaign, which features the brand’s most diverse cast to date, with 57 real and inspiring women.

The rollout includes a completely redesigned bra collection, fitting room updates to include an innovative bra measuring process, and an associate body confidence training program in partnership with The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), an ongoing not-for-profit partner of AEO.

“We are excited to launch this campaign that features our redesigned bra collections on real women that represent the unique beauty of our customer,” stated Jennifer Foyle. “From product innovations, to a new body confidence associate training program, we are reinventing the way we design and sell products that empower women.”

—Don’t Change You. Change Your Bra!: In partnership with The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), Aerie has implemented a body confidence training program for its entire store team. The program is designed to create a judgement-free and inspirational shopping experience. Because feeling good in your bra starts from within.

—Your New BFF: To improve the bra fitting process, Aerie has reimagined the traditional measuring tape to introduce its patent pending Best Fit Finder (BFF). The two-step process provides associates and customers with a simple tool that is less invasive and helps find her best fit. It’s not about measurements, it’s about how you feel in the bra.

—Support In The Fitting Room: With the belief that trying on bras should make a woman feel her best, the brand is giving its customer the opportunity to empower other women with sticky note affirmations on dressing room mirrors. Left from one woman to the next, messages of support and inspiration ignite feelings of self-love.

—Aerie Bras Make You Feel Real Good: Aerie has created new bra collections to simplify the way the customer shops and to make it easier to find the bra that feels best. The Real Happy™, Real Sunnie™, Real Me® and Real Power™ bra collections feature enhanced details in the form of 360-degree stretch, softer fabric for a second-skin feel, j-hooks for easy adjustments and removable padding for her choice of push level.