How Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has remained the ultimate lingerie inspiration

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was always destined for supermodel status. When she first appeared on the fashion scene back in 2003, aged just 16, she immediately landed a Levi’s commercial. It wasn’t long before she was shot by Bruce Weber for the then-cool Abercrombie & Fitch, and her English Rose look made her a shoo-in as a face of Christopher Bailey’s Burberry.

All of those are high profile gigs for any model, but what really elevated Rosie to superstar status was Victoria’s Secret. She made her debut at its 2006 catwalk show alongside Heidi Klum, Miranda Kerr and Gisele Bundchen, an annual event that appears on national television in the US, and was awarded ‘Angel’ status by the brand in 2010.

Her decision to leave the brand in 2011 might have put an end to her image as a lingerie model. Instead, she launched a career as a lingerie mogul, collaborating with Marks & Spencer on a collection of premium bras, knickers and camisoles under the label ‘Rosie for Autograph’.

The collection, modelled by Rosie, naturally, has endured for almost a decade now - an eternity in the world of celebrity fashion collaborations - and it remains a bestseller for the high street giant - a collective 17 million pieces have been sold to date. But in the intervening years, what we’ve come to expect from our lingerie and the women who model it has changed beyond recognition.

Post #metoo, lingerie is less about attracting and pleasing men, and more about feeling comfortable in one’s body. Cheap lace and padded bras have been traded for seamless cups and comfortable Nineties-style cotton pants like the high-waist Les Girls Les Boys pair worn by Rosie on Elle’s April cover - a far cry from the aesthetic of her M&S designs.

Lingerie models have changed too. Thanks to the impact of size-inclusive startups like Beija London and ThirdLove, the Victoria’s Secret ideal of a thin, white woman seems hopelessly outdated. Now, all shapes, sizes, ages and colours are represented in ad campaigns and online imagery - and so we’ve come to expect models who actually look like the consumers they’re targeting. 

Rosie has changed too though. She and fiance Jason Statham welcomed son Jack in 2017, and she admits to Elle that “things don’t sit where they did pre-baby” - although the accompanying shoot proves her body is still pretty impeccable by anyone’s standards. It won’t come as a surprise that she was a regular gym-goer before the pandemic; she’s stayed fit during the UK lockdowns with 5km runs in her local London park. 

The Rosie for Autograph collection has evolved as well - alongside the pretty floral bras and camisoles there's now a non-wired plunge bra in the collection, as well as a ribbed grey thong with a sporty waistband. Although M&S might not be rushing to copy the crotchless pink tights which Rosie sports as part of the Elle shoot. 

In 2021 it’s not a Barbie doll body that sells lingerie, it’s an identifiable personality, and that’s where Rosie sets herself apart. She has that rare ability to connect with women of all tastes - from the wide-ranging M&S shoppers to those who love her sleek personal style on Instagram - and it's that crucial ingredient that sets the ‘supers’ apart from the models. 

The April issue of ELLE UK is on sale from 4th March 2021.

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