The snaps were for a shoot called Bare With Me with the purpose of being Lauren’s ‘coming out’ message to the world (they were taken last November).
The photographer Nicole Cartolano explained why the shoot was so special for the girls.
“Both girls trusted me to photograph them together as sort of a coming-out,” Nicole said to MTV.
“They were nervous how their families would respond and the publicity they'd attract, especially from the Latin American community. 'Bare With Me' is a compromise which allowed us to describe what Lauren called 'love in the 21st century.'
“We felt like the way that these photographs are presented are very disarming, sensual, and empowering all at once. And they're not provocative or with ill intent. It was important to use their voices to show the world that this is OK, this is acceptable, in the gentlest way possible.”
Lauren and Lucy dated on and off for around a year and have known each other since high school. Although they’ve since broken up (wah), Nicole says they agreed to let her share the pics.
“Lauren said this: that it's a reminder of a really good moment in time. Because at the time, they did really like each other. And it was a very good memory,” she explained.
What an empowering shoot. You go, girls <3