Actress Anthony Lexa, well known for playing Abbi in the Netflix hit show Sex Education, and sustainable print and fulfilment company Teemill have joined forces to create a range of clothing to celebrate visible difference and raise funds for Changing Faces.
Anthony’s collaboration with Changing Faces and Teemill is not just about fashion, it’s about representation, empowerment, and visibility for everyone, no matter what their skin looks like. Designed by Anthony’s sister, the collection features bold pieces that proudly carry the Changing Faces identity and our commitment to celebrating visible difference.
Anthony Lexa, Rob and Crystal wearing clothing from the new collaboration
Each item of clothing features the slogan ‘beauty isn’t skin deep’, reminding us that true beauty comes from within, and it’s the resilience and authenticity of individuals that make them shine, not how they look on the outside.
Anthony, well known for playing Abbi from the Netflix show Sex Education is a transgender actress and singer-songwriter from Devon. Growing up with chronic eczema, Anthony became accustomed to hiding her visible difference. She would wear wetsuits for swimming lessons, before putting clothes straight over her sodden suit in order to avoid unwanted questions about her appearance. In later life, her condition has evolved into topical steroid withdrawal (TSW). TSW is a condition caused by developing a dependence on topical steroid treatments. The symptoms include redness, flaking, oozing of the skin, hair loss, facial swelling and insomnia.
Battling visible scars and gender dysphoria has been difficult for Anthony but remarkably she has found gratitude and self-acceptance in her pain. It has filled her with love and hope, something that she wishes to share through her music and platform.
Anthony said, “Changing Faces has been a lifeline for me.. Their 1-1 counselling support has helped me navigate the emotional and social challenges that come with my condition.
The partnership is about celebrating exactly what beauty means. Each item of clothing features the slogan ‘beauty isn’t skin deep’, and the true, deeper sense of beauty: the courage, the strength that grows from having visible differences.
Behind the scenes at the photo shoot
To kickstart the collaboration, Anthony joined forces with Changing Faces’ Ambassadors and Campaigners for a London-based photoshoot. Changing Faces’ Campaigner Crystal, featured in the shoot, had facial cancer at 18, and would use her hair as a curtain to hide her face and the visible difference that made her feel isolated and embarrassed. She said. “The photoshoot has given me a sense of healing and my 18 year old self would feel proud having done something brave, for being noticed and unapologetic about it.”
The photoshoot and the clothing range are a celebration of what beauty means and a kick back against those who continue to show prejudice against visible difference. We’re proud to support this initiative and encourage you to wear it loud and proud. Join us in spreading the message that ‘beauty isn’t skin deep’.
VIEW THE CHANGING FACES, ANTHONY LEXA AND TEEMILL COLLECTION
