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Having your name uttered in the same sentence as Rihanna’s just might be the highest honor around. But what about appearing in the musician turned mogul’s campaign for her intimates collection, Savage X Fenty, alongside the superstar herself? Mind-blowing, for sure, and it’s the reality for four Savage X Fenty fans.
Earlier in the spring, Rihanna announced a casting search for the new faces of her summer campaign. Thousands applied, posting their best Savage X snaps on Instagram. After months, four were chosen to represent the brand’s summer drop: Brenda Senyana, Kortney Russell, Gerlind Anagho, and Sariena Luy. “I got a DM from the Savage IG page notifying me that I had been selected, and literally my world stopped,” Senyana tells Vogue. “I have entered contests before, but you almost never think it is going to be you—you just hope. Well, today it’s me, and I am taking it all in!”
“When I heard I was actually one of the winners, I could barely drive. I was shaking and in tears—tears of joy,” Anagho says. “I pulled over to a parking lot and hollered some more. One would have thought I won the lottery…which I did by modeling for the #SavageXSummer campaign. I’ve seen people have these types of reactions and thought it is exaggerated, but I can now say they are organic.”
The four campaign stars are debuting their Savage X images here—and telling Vogue why it’s so important for them to be seen and heard in the world of fashion. “It’s important to change the narrative of one specific body type being the standard of beauty,” says Russell. “Doing that can be a hard thing to do and can get you a lot of negative opinions along the way, but it’s something I think Savage X is doing successfully! I’m excited to see the fashion industry change, and I’m so privileged to be contributing to that change!”
Brenda Senyana, @bsenyana
Why did you enter the Savage X campaign contest?
I have always loved Savage X Fenty because, from the start, they have made space for plus-size women and women of color to be sexy and fierce, and that is how I see myself. When the opportunity came to be a part of the campaign, I knew I had to submit.
Tell me a little bit about the items you’re wearing in the campaign: What do you like about them? How do they make you feel?
So, for my first look, I am wearing the iridescent snakeskin strapless bra and high-leg bikini combo with the Savage X Fenty Divorce Court stay-up stockings [a Cabo Crush Xtra VIP Box look]. Now, usually this is not a look that you would see on plus-size girls, but conditioning to cover up extra fat and rolls to make others comfortable is something I am proudly unlearning. When it comes to lingerie, I tend to buy more high-waist panties that cover up my tummy. As I have gotten older, the need to cover up has become less important to me. I love all of me, and the world is going to have to learn to as well. This look made me feel fearless and allowed me to embrace all of my curves, and that is why I love it.
My second look is bright colors, lace, and romance! I absolutely love the pink and cherry tomato bodysuit. When I put it on, I felt so damn sexy! I did not want to take it off. I think it is important for all women, especially curvy women like me, to have options that make them feel sexy. I am not the often desired small-waist, Coke-bottle, hourglass shape, but I am beautiful, sexy as hell, and it is my time to shine! There need to be more plus-size models, content creators, and brands with women over size 16 and more women of color, especially Black women, included in campaigns and collaborations with brands.
How do you hope other Rihanna and Savage X fans feel when they see you in this campaign?
I really hope that [Savage X fans] feel liberated to live confidently in their bodies. People are always telling me how confident I am and commending me for making bold and daring fashion choices, but I wasn’t always this way. One day I looked in the mirror and asked myself, “Forget what everyone else has told you, do you love you, because your opinion matters most?” It was at that moment that I decided I was going to love me more than anyone else, and this was when my journey towards self-love and the unlearning of toxic ideas started. Every day that I accept and love myself more is a win. My weight does not define me. I am a Black, Ugandan American daughter of a strong immigrant woman who raised five children on her own. I am a wife, a friend, a sister, and a public health professional working to improve access to health for the most vulnerable populations worldwide. I cannot let my life center around people who work to tear me down. I have to live confidently and unapologetically!
Kortney Russell, @Kortney_russell
Why did you enter the Savage X campaign contest?
I’ve been a big fan of Rihanna and everything she does for a long time, so when I saw the post on the Savage X Fenty Instagram, I had to at least try! I usually never apply for Instagram contests because I feel like the chances of winning are so rare, but this one felt different. Savage X is one of the few brands that genuinely embraces inclusivity and diversity. It’s apparent in their range of sizes and models that they use. I just couldn’t pass up the possibility of being a part of this!
Tell me a little bit about the items you’re wearing in the campaign: What do you like about them? How do they make you feel?
The first look I received was a strapless bra in an iridescent snake print! It came with matching high-leg underwear, and to top off the look, I also received black stockings that had a bedazzled band [a Cabo Crush Xtra VIP Box look]. My second look was a super cute bralette-and-underwear set in pink! Savage X Fenty has a special way of making you feel confident and sexy the moment you put the lingerie on. I feel like with undergarments you often choose between support and style, but that’s definitely not the case here. I felt comfortable, supported, and sexy.
How do you hope other Rihanna and Savage X fans feel when they see you in this campaign?
Growing up on a small island [in Hawai’i], I never saw women who looked like me in media. I saw no representation of plus-sized models or full-figured WOC. It wasn’t until models like Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser came onto the scene that I finally saw women I could relate to. If I could be that person for one young girl out there, my heart would be so full! It’s important to change the narrative of one specific body type being the standard of beauty. Doing that can be a hard thing to do and can get you a lot of negative opinions along the way, but it’s something I think Savage X is doing successfully! I’m excited to see the fashion industry change, and I’m so privileged to be contributing to that change! I also want to say that I’m incredibly proud of where I come from. There’s not much opportunity for exposure of this level here in Hawai’i, but the talent here is incredible. I’m grateful I’m able to represent Hawai’i this way!
Gerlind Anagho, @fitnesswithfemininity
Why did you enter the Savage X campaign contest?
I entered the Savage X campaign contest because I’ve expressed many times to friends about my love for the brand. When I stumbled on the article with details of the contest, instantly I knew it was my time to go get what I’ve always bragged about. I also wanted to prove to myself it is possible and you are capable of modeling for something good. All those nos were worth this one yes.
Tell me a little bit about the items you’re wearing in the campaign: What do you like about them? How do they make you feel?
I love the way Savage X Fenty fits my curves. I didn’t feel like I would have an outfit malfunction. The strapless bra fit so well, and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything slipping out. I have tried many different corsets but haven’t worn one that is as comfortable until now. The white corset I wore for the shoot is a must for every woman’s closet. They are perfect for the street and better in the bedroom. The color makes it perfect for summer festivities.
How do you hope other Rihanna and Savage X fans feel when they see you in this campaign?
I hope other Rihanna and Savage X fans feel proud and that they belong. The pieces I modeled made me feel so beautiful and Savage. We are beautiful in all shapes and sizes. I hope it empowers the fans like it did when I was wearing it. I want to leave by saying dream and put it in the universe! This all started with a dream of being a part of something bigger. Take that risk, and seize every opportunity.
Sariena Luy, @sariena_
Why did you enter the Savage X campaign contest?
I am a Toronto-based creative director who started modeling a year ago because I wanted to understand better what it’s like to be in front of the camera. As I primarily work as a photographer, I am so used to being behind the camera until modeling elevated my confidence exponentially.
However, my highest objective with modeling was to represent more women who look like me. I am a darker-skin Southeast Asian neurodiverse woman from an inner-city community in Toronto. I didn’t grow up seeing people like me empowered or included in anything. I told myself that I have to be that woman for future generations of young girls of color searching to see themselves in these platforms.
And Savage X Fenty inspires me to be that woman every day. I have literally written literature reviews and research papers for school about both Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty’s influence. I see that Savage X Fenty celebrates all and everything every woman is, with a demand for representation of every kind of woman.
As a result, I have always dreamed of becoming a Savage X Ambassador, and being in a Savage X Fenty campaign is a genuine life goal. I entered the #SavageXSummer contest because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could bring me closer to my greatest aspirations.
Tell me a little bit about the items you’re wearing in the campaign: What do you like about them? How do they make you feel?
My first set was an iridescent snake-print strapless bra with high-waist bikini undies and Divorce Court stay-up stockings that say Savage X Fenty [a Cabo Crush Xtra VIP Box look]. My second set was this cherry tomato or spicy red leopard-lace push-up bra with a crotchless high-leg bikini bottom.
For both outfits, I felt out of this world because I was speechless to even hold the X charms on the sets. Both colors and prints are nothing like anything I own, and I feel like that’s what made the experience even more powerful. My outfits naturally accentuate what I got and allow me to flaunt my body fearlessly.
I’m actively working on building my confidence with taking lingerie photos, and I admittedly was somewhat shy during the shoot. But modeling in the lingerie helped me feel like I was on a different level of confidence that was more liberating and shamelessly in awe of myself.
How do you hope other Rihanna and Savage X fans feel when they see you in this campaign?
I cannot contain my excitement that Rihanna and everyone who loves her as much as I do will really see me. I mainly hope that this won’t be the last time they see me or any Southeast Asian women who look like me.
I am really inspired by seeing Anna Cruz model for Savage X, and I want to join her in representing Southeast Asian beauty in brands worldwide. I want to show women who look like me that we are not here to be exotified or hypersexualized but celebrated and respected.
When they see me, I want them to see a proud Southeast Asian who loves herself so unconditionally. I want them to resonate with a woman who is learning how to redefine her own version of being sexy, savage, and feeling like a real star. I want them to see that it didn’t take an Instagram influencer with tens of thousands of followers to have to qualify for the vision of who Savage X works with. Savage X’s desire to work with all women is so genuine.