Manchester fashion brand slammed for using ‘unhealthily thin’ model in advert

A Manchester-based fashion brand has been scolded by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) for showing an ‘unhealthily thin’ model in a recent advert. However the brand argues they have not acted irresponsibly. 

The advert in question was produced by Warehouse Fashions for an oversized longline biker jacket featuring an image of a model wearing the jacket over a black high cut bodysuit. The jacket was draped off her left shoulder and her legs were fully exposed. The model was posing with her left leg bent out to the side.

Warehouse Fashions said that model had a BMI which fell inside the NHS standard of “a healthy weight” and added they did not consider using a naturally thin model in advertising to be socially irresponsible.

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In its ruling, "The ASA acknowledged that much of the model's arms and part of her body were obscured by a coat. However, her shoulder and upper arm were visible and appeared small and narrow. She was wearing a close-fitting bodysuit, also partially hidden by the coat, but her collar bone and torso nonetheless appeared very thin."

"Because the pose and styling emphasised the model's narrow leg, pronounced hip and collarbones, we considered the ad gave the impression that the model was unhealthily thin and concluded the ad was irresponsible."

 According to ASA, Warehouse Fashions Online Ltd (Warehouse) believed that the image did not present the model as appearing unhealthily thin. They believed that, due to prevailing standards in society around the perception of body types, it would be insensitive to label the model as promoting an “unhealthy” and “thin” body type.Warehouse also said that they promoted body inclusivity and that they worked closely with model agencies to select models who represent women of all body types across the UK. 

They said that models were styled in a manner which positively reflected their body shape and that they carefully selected imagery which represented both their products and models in the best possible way. Warehouse said that they recognised the importance of how bodies were presented in ads and that edits to images were limited to lighting and background adjustments.

ManchesterWorld have approached Warehouse for a comment.