When Kordale Lewis and Kaleb Anthony posted a photo of their morning routine to Instagram in 2014, they had no idea they were about to go viral.
The photo of the two fathers doing their daughters’ hair quickly gained more than 50,000 “likes,” according to Teen Vogue, and ultimately resulted in the family starring in a Nikon ad.
This month, Swedish brand Acne Studios featured the family from Atlanta in its new ad campaign — the first time a black LGBT family has been featured in a major fashion ad — and this time Lewis and Anthony were ready.
We're the 1st Black LGBT family to represent a high fashion European clothing line. Fall/winter 2017 Campaign @acnestudios
— Kordale N Kaleb (@KordaleNKaleb) August 17, 2017
#LgbtFamilypic.twitter.com/HTPJ712AeW
The photos showcase the adorable family in matching outfits doing exactly what you’d expect a family with four kids, two girls and two boys, to be doing — hanging out on the couch and jumping on the bed.
Acne Studios’ co-founder and creative director, Jonny Johansson, explained why he choice the photogenic family for the ad campaign in a press release.
“I have been thinking of the family concept for a long time. I’m very fond of it since I feel that at Acne Studios, we began as a collective and we saw each other as family back then. A modern family,” he said. “It is also a way of highlighting that while every family is different, we all have the same love and want the best for our children. There is no ‘normal’ family—all families are normal.”
In an interview with i-D, Lewis and Anthony echoed that sentiment.
“A modern family can be an interracial couple, a modern family can be a gay couple, a modern family can be a heterosexual couple. A modern family is one that loves their children and loves to be together as one, despite their sexual preferences or the color of their skin,” Anthony said.
“Today, a modern family is not defined by a man and a woman. It can be two parents, or one parent, taking care of kids. You have single parents, homosexual parents, straight parents, then you also have parents who do the surrogate thing to have a baby. It's a couple that is willing to provide for their kids,” Lewis added.
And, of course, the Internet has been feeling all the feels!
LOVE Kordale and Kaleb!!! Ahhh they just inspire me so much!! My heart 💜 this is amazing https://t.co/li6oQ7cQtv
— Thomas Sanders (@ThomasSanders) August 19, 2017
Beautiful, thanks for featuring this amazing family @TeenVogue .
— Rutabaga (@kepp_a) August 19, 2017
Love wins. 🏳️🌈
Big applause to @acnestudios for having shown what a modern family can look like nowaday by choosing @KordaleNKaleb for their ad campaign 👏
— Amin Moussaoui (@Amin_Moussaoui) August 22, 2017
THIS IS TOO CUTE. You can tell they all gone be spoiled but raised right. I'm living for Lil mama on the left serving A POSE https://t.co/CW3hcNQ40H
— Alluring Ivy✨ (@Drebae_) August 19, 2017
This beautiful I'm crying
— Joe Logan (@Itsjoelogan) August 17, 2017