Selfridges cleared of using ‘unhealthily thin’ model in fashion ad for dresses @ best dress

SELFRIDGES has been cleared of using an “unhealthily thin” model in a fashion advert, the advertising watchdog has said.

The department store sent out an email in January showing a model standing side on in a long blue dress but a customer complained it was “socially irresponsible”.

Selfridges said the woman was not positioned in a way intended to exaggerate her slimness, adding that the loose fit of the dress would distort the actual size of any model regardless of their size.

The store said that while they accepted the model was thin, the general public’s perception of weight and whether or not an individual looked unhealthily thin was a subjective matter.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) accepted that the image emphasised the model’s slenderness through her pose and the style of clothing, but said she appeared to be in proportion.

The ASA said: “We considered most people, including young children and women, would interpret the ad as focusing on the design and fit of the dress, rather than on desirable body image.

“We considered that, although the model was slim, she did not appear to be unhealthily thin or significantly underweight and therefore concluded that the ad was not irresponsible.”

Wellies brand Hunter were recently cleared of using an “unhealthily thin” model in its adverts.

The ASA investigated a complaint about a model in a video on the firm’s Facebook page but later cleared them of any wrongdoing.

The firm said the model had a “naturally slim build” and was of good health.

It follows a Change.org petition, which was set up demanding a stick-thin vlogger be banned from YouTube for fear she is pushing anorexia.

Eugenia Cooney, 22, has an online following of almost one million fans, but viewers are calling for her to be temporarily banned from YouTube and seek medical help.