These unretouched photos show why Victoria's Secret's top competitor is thriving

American Eagle's lingerie brand, Aerie, is thriving.

Though the growth isn't as massive as last quarter's impressive 32%, comparable sales for the second quarter were still up by 24% for the brand, which is still far more impressive than many struggling retailers' recent results.

Parent company American Eagle saw comparable sales grow by 3%.

Since abandoning Photoshop in 2014 with its #AerieREAL campaign, the company has consistently seen sales soar, quarter after quarter.

Spokesmodel Iskra Lawrence has become something of an ambassador for body positivity.

The company's latest campaign, Share Your Spark, takes it a step further.

Rather than just showcasing unretouched models, the campaign showcases a variety of women in addition to models - like bloggers, designers, and more.

 

 

Though the campaign debuted after the second quarter closed, it cements the company's commitment to showing today's version of beauty to its female customers, which is a more realistic portrayal of women that some of its competitors have historically showcased.

It helps that the brand believes it selling more than just apparel.

"Retail is a tough business today, there's no doubt. What we're doing today is really special because today [it's] not just about selling product, it really isn't. It's about driving something that the customer really believes in," Aerie's Global Brand President, Jennifer Foyle, said to Business Insider in an interview this summer.

And given the consistent growth, it's evident that this strategy is paying off.