Is super skinny back? UK sees rise in complaints over thin models
Summary
The UK has seen an increase in complaints about fashion adverts featuring very thin models, reminiscent of the "super skinny" trend from the past. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has recently banned ads from major brands like Zara, Next, and Marks & Spencer over concerns they portray an unhealthy body image. Despite some adverts being criticized, the ASA did not find the models themselves to be unhealthy, highlighting issues like pose and lighting.Key Facts
- Fashion ads from Zara, Next, and Marks & Spencer were banned for showing models who looked "unhealthily thin."
- Complaints about these adverts have increased, with more than 20 received in two weeks after a July advertising ban.
- The ASA received 61 complaints about models' weight in 2024 but only investigated eight due to lack of grounds.
- ASA guidelines advise advertisers against promoting unhealthy body images as aspirational.
- Charli Howard, a model and activist, warns of a return to the "heroin chic" trend from the 1990s.
- TikTok has blocked searches for "skinnytok" to avoid promoting extreme thinness.
- The ASA found that poses, styling, and camera angles contributed to models appearing thinner in ads.
- Despite the ban, some brands argue that the model's health was not compromised, pointing to the choice of pose or styling instead.
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