It's no secret that Emily Ratajkowski has come a long way since her "Blurred Lines" days. The model-cum-actress is a proud feminist, advocate for the expression of female sexuality, and vocal defender of body positivity. She's posed topless with Kim Kardashian and had a spa day with Nick Jonas. And now, she's returned as the face of Express for its latest iteration of Edition: the high-end, cool-girl capsule collection that has @emrata's name written all over it.
Starring alongside models Devon Windsor and Cami Morrone, Ratajkowski models the selection of leather jackets, lace camisoles, and flowing blouses. "I have a lot of older cousins who are, like, 10 years older, and I always pictured them in Express," she tells Refinery29 of the offering, which hits stores and online July 7. "One of them lived in New York and she was the 'cool girl.' When I was 13, she was 25, and this seems like what she would wear. Some of the dresses are really great, really wearable, but still cool and chic and sexy," she continues. "A dress or a good pair of jeans are my go-tos."
Though Ratajkowski is now a seasoned vet when it comes to fronting campaigns, she admits she wasn't always that way: "I developed super-early, I was probably 13," she says. "And that was really overwhelming, because I was one of the first girls in my class and I think that I basically looked the exact same way I do now, and that kind of overwhelmed and created a lot of weird scenarios in my life. But in a lot of ways, it defined me in a good and positive way."
And really, what could make you feel more confident than clothes you know you look good in? We're calling it now: The Express you knew and loved in high school might just be back — and with Ratajkowski as the star, better than ever.