Penningtons’ #IWontCompromise Campaign
Takes The City By Storm

If you’re a city dweller, chances are you’re no stranger to a routine daily commute (delays and dreary weather included!). You’re also likely familiar with the occasional trek through one of Toronto’s busiest transit hubs: Union Station, which sees upwards of 200,000 passengers daily. Luckily enough for Torontonians longing for a wave of excitement while on the way home from the office, or for those who tuned in via Facebook live, their wish was granted on February 8th at 5PM ET. Canadian brand Penningtons marked the launch of their latest groundbreaking #iwontcompromise campaign with a body-positive flash runway in Toronto’s Union Station. Talk about shaking up your workday!

Amidst the hustle and bustle of a crowd full of busy commuters, a star-studded roster of industry leaders, bloggers and influencers (think buzzy names like Tess Holliday) took the city by storm. Their runway look? A statement-making combo of curve-hugging denim, lacy black Ti Voglio lingerie and killer heels. To top it all off, each model held a billboard bearing the campaign hashtag #iwontcompromise and social media-ready messages like “Post this to fight for body diversity” and “Share this to break the stigma”. The cast included Tess Holliday, Meredith Shaw, Catherine Field, Ashley Sharman, Isabella Forget, Bree A., Caterina Moda, Courtney Mina, Karyn Johnson and Gail Thompson. The curvy ladies paraded through Union Station to pose for multiple photo ops, receiving plenty of cheers from inspired onlookers along the way. The result was a striking new breed of runway show with a whole lot of attitude, bravery and heart. If we’re talkin’ Insta-worthy moments, this one was hard to beat!

Missed it or want to relive the empowering movement? Watch it here:



If Penningtons’ curve-embracing movement sounds familiar, it’s because this isn’t the brand’s first thought-provoking push to promote body confidence. Back in January 2016, the plus size retailer dropped a powerful video starring yoga teacher Dianne Bondy which now has over one million views. Coyly winking at her haters on the other side of the screen, Dianne (quite literally) flips the pervasive body norm of what a yoga guru should look like on its head. The follow-up video was certainly no slouch, either: it stars trainer and running coach Jill Angie sharing a message of dedication to her sport in spite of naysayers. If there’s one thing the #iwontcompromise campaign does consistently and relentlessly, it’s demanding that we ask questions and challenge what we’ve been told a beautiful body is meant to look like. Penningtons has thrown their energy behind a movement that supports women to be whomever they want to be—whether it’s in the realm of sports, fashion, beauty and more—while celebrating (not stigmatizing) their bodies.

While we might not be so lucky to get a dose of gorgeousness in the form of an impromptu runway show every day during our commutes, there’s no doubt that the #iwontcompromise movement is just getting started. After all, if there were ever a time to spread self-acceptance, body diversity and inclusivity, it’s now!

Flip through the gallery below to get a behind-the-scenes look of the #iwontcompromise movement:

This post is sponsored by Penningtons

| Collage features photos by @mizwoochic, @madrevans, @lalokajennifer, @meredithshawtoronto, @kirstx.n, @isabellaforget, @pureivorydotca |