Lafayette 148’s #UnordinaryWomen

Fashion house Lafayette 148 just launched a campaign on March 8 that they’re calling #UnordinaryWomen. It features 16 inspiring, trailblazing women, in recognition of International Women’s Day. The campaign tells the stories of several accomplished women, focusing on their strengths, inspirations and influences, and photographed by Sophie Elgort, one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2016, who will also be featured.

Along with Elgort, those being featured are Stella Abrera, a prima ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre and the company’s first Filipina-American principal dancer; Barbara Gast, chief creative officer of Lafayette 148, Anjali Kumar, founding counsel of Cheddar and Warby Parker and author of the book “Stalking God: My Unorthodox Search for Something to Believe In”; Lauri Freedman, head of product development at the Whitney and cocurator of “Eckhaus Latta: Possessed,” the museum’s first shoppable fashion exhibition; Fern Mallis, the founder of New York Fashion Week and host of “Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis at the 92nd Street Y”; Neha Ruch, founder of Mother Untitled, which fosters conversations around leaning into motherhood and putting balanced living first, and Marie Aude-Rose, founding chef at the critically acclaimed restaurant La Mercerie in New York.

“As a brand that’s always valued inclusivity, it was important for us to reflect the diversity of their experiences. The beauty of this campaign is that it shows whether you’re 30, or 50, or 70, your voice has the power to inspire so many other women in their journey,” said Lafayette 148’s president, Liz Fraser.

The initiative will span three months, with a focus on women honoring women through March and mid-April, and an emphasis on mothers and daughters from mid-April through the end of May to coincide with Mother’s Day. The campaign will have a charitable component encouraging followers and brand ambassadors to honor the #Unordinary Women in their own lives to benefit “She’s the First,” an organization which helps supports girls’ education around the world.

Followers on Instagram will be encouraged to engage with the campaign by posting about a woman who’s inspired them. For every post and comment using the hashtag #UnordinaryWomen, Lafayette 148 will donate $10 to She’s the First.

A dedicated #UnordinaryWomen microsite at lafayette148ny.com will immerse viewers in the campaign experience, including allowing them to upload a photo and apply an #UnordinaryWomen filter to share on their social channels. The digital destination will also have quotes and bios of the #UnordinaryWomen cast, share the mission of She’s the First and provide details for posting and passing along to other women.

All in-store and online Lafayette 148 shoppers will receive a set of custom #UnordinaryWomen postcards with purchase during the week before International Women’s Day and the two weeks leading up to Mother’s Day. Shoppers can mail the cards to women they admire.

A panel called “Unordinary Women, Extraordinary Conversations,” will take place May 9 at Lafayette 148’s concept shop in downtown New York, moderated by Mallis. The panelists will discuss the women who have inspired them, the challenges of charging their own path and lessons they’ve learned along the way. Attendees will also have the opportunity to shop the spring Lafayette 148 collection, with a percentage of sales from the event benefiting She’s the First.

Ads will run in New York Magazine’s “The Cut,” the Wall Street Journal, Goop and Modern Luxury.

“As a women-led company, designing for women, this campaign is a natural way to celebrate what we stand for. We’re incredibly fortunate at Lafayette 148 to have a customer that’s accomplished, educated and highly engaged, so we know this campaign will speak to her and also inspire a new generation of strong, powerful women to discover us,” said Fraser.

—
Photo Credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com