• On Thursday, Aerie announced that former Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman will be a face of the retailer's spring campaign.
• The teen-friendly lingerie brand does not digitally retouch pictures.
• In an interview with Fashionista, Raisman said that working with the brand was "nerve-wracking," but ultimately rewarding.
• Raisman appears in the Aerie "Role Models" campaign alongside actress-activist Yara Shahidi, "Fight Song" singer Rachel Platten, and body-positivity icon Iskra Lawrence.

On Thursday, Aerie released its new Photoshop-free, "Role Models" campaign, which features former Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman.

In a recent interview with Fashionista, the 23-year-old explained that she found working on the campaign to be especially meaningful.

"I love how Aerie doesn't Photoshop anything. I think it's so wonderful for young girls and women to see that, because we put so much pressure on ourselves. I'm very proud to be a part of it," Raisman said.

She continued: "I think it's so important for people to understand that it's my body, I can do whatever I want with it, and women don't have to be modest to be respected."

Raisman announced that she would be in the campaign in December 2017, calling the opportunity a "dream come true."

Raisman appears in the campaign alongside actress-activist Yara Shahidi, "Fight Song" singer Rachel Platten, and body-positive model Iskra Lawrence. The gymnast told Fashionista that her co-stars became a support system for her in the lead up to her testimony against former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who was accused of sexual assault by over 150 women. On Wednesday, a judge sentenced Nassar to up to 175 years in prison.   

"They've just been so incredibly supportive and it means a lot, because obviously the last few months — I don't have to explain, it's been mentally draining," Raisman said of her Aerie co-stars. "It's a lot of stress, it's a lot of anxiety, coming public, but also dealing with this privately for a while. It's so nice to have their support and that means a lot to me."

"I love everything that [Aerie] stands for. They could not have been more supportive with everything going on right now in my personal life; it's been very public, but they've been incredibly supportive and that's why I love working with them, because they encourage you to be real," Raisman explained.

Although she loves the brand, her co-workers, and the message the campaign sends, Raisman was nervous to appear in unretouched lingerie ads, according to Fashionista.

"This isn't something where it's just easy for us to be in our bra and underwear on a billboard or an ad. It's nerve-racking for us, too, but I think that's what's so important is to be honest with people," she said. "I think it's so important to teach these young girls that are growing up to love your body and to focus what's on the inside — that's far more important than what's on the outside."

The group's close bond helped them get through awkward moments on set, Raisman said.

"I think that's really special, and really unique, and it's cool that we're all so honest with each other because obviously on set, there were times where some of us were just nervous and uncomfortable, myself included, and having each other to talk about it, it was really empowering," she said.

"I think it's just such an incredible time for women. Even being a part of this campaign — all three of these girls, I've just met them within the last few months and the three of them are so incredible that we've bonded," she said. "They've been so supportive of everything that I'm going through, and that means a lot to me."

If you are a victim of sexual assault, you can visit RAINN or call its hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to receive confidential support from a trained staff member.

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