Cass Bird
She’s got the look!
More than 40 years after her iconic Calvin Klein ads, Brooke Shields is modeling a new pair of jeans — and daring to bare — for Jordache’s Spring 2022 campaign, shot by famed photographer Cass Bird.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Shields opens up about partnering with the heritage denim label and why it marks a poignant moment in her career.
“I appreciate it more now,” she says, noting that the last time she modeled for a denim campaign she was 15. “It’s such an honor to be my age and be represented. I feel the magnitude of it more. There’s a knowledge that comes with age, and this feels less like a job and more like a privilege.”
Cass Bird
Shields adds that she was very open with the Jordache team about her stance on retouching, noting that it was crucial to her that the photos were authentic.
“It was important for you to see this is my 56-year-old body and to fight the retouching,” Shields says of the shoot, styled by Deborah Watson. “I’m always like, ‘You better keep it honest.’ And we did.”
In the campaign, Shields models a variety of the signature Jordache styles, including skinny, flare and straight cuts.
“We are excited to work with Brooke Shields,” Jordache President Liz Berlinger said in a statement. “Like Jordache, she is iconic in fashion. We have watched her grow from a young girl into an incredible woman, mother and entrepreneur – throughout it all she has remained authentic and an inspiration to women everywhere.”
For the actress, model and activist, partnering with the brand not only felt organic because she wears the clothes, but it also aligned with the messaging of age and body positivity that she continues to champion through her work with her recently founded community, Beginning is Now.
“‘You’ve got the look’ was iconic,” Shields shares of the famous Jordache ad slogan. “Everybody was like, ‘Well, I want the look. You’ve got it, so I want it.’ Jordache was very much a part of that barrier-breaking mentality. They celebrate the idea of being sexy and bold and they’ve always featured strong, hard-working, ambitious women in their campaigns. It was never just about models. I’ve always appreciated that – it celebrates a different type of advertising and puts the focus on female strength.”
RELATED: Inside Brooke Shields’ Terrifying Accident and Her Struggle to Walk Again: ‘I’m a Fighter’
And because of that, when it came time to ditch her shirt during the shoot, Shields felt totally comfortable.
“I knew Cass [Bird] would handle it well, and I also knew it wouldn’t be exploiting at all,” she tells PEOPLE. “There’s something about owning your sexuality at this age that is on point for where we are today. It’s not angry empowerment.”
She also had an added boost of confidence from the hard work she put in at the gym, upping her exercise routine to make sure she felt her absolute best.
“I worked so hard with my trainer Ngo Okafor. We did 5 a.m. workouts, but I wasn’t drinking so it was easier to wakeup in the morning,” she shares, adding, “I pushed it to the limit. My ego helped! I thought, “If you do these pictures and you are not happy with what you see, you’ll be hard on yourself.”
For more on Shields new campaign, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE on stands everywhere Friday.
