In response, Zara said that the two models provided medical certificates proof of health.
119 jcpenney stores sell to private companies for around $1 billion
A Boston private equity firm has bought 119 JCPenney stores in nearly $1 billion in transactions five years after the retailer filed for bankruptcy.
No Brands – News Value
Zara has been asked to remove two ads from its UK website to feature the “unhealthy thin” model.
The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA), the UK’s independent advertising regulator, has asked Zara to remove ads on its UK website. They want “unhealthly thin” models, dresses and oversized shirts that feature violations of industry standards. The ASA says these ads were not prepared “with a sense of responsibility towards the consumer and society.”
In total, the ASA reviewed four Zara ads flagged by members of the public who believed the attention model was too thin, ASA media and public relations manager Matthew Wilson told USA Today.
Based in Spain, Zara is a first fashion company selling clothing, accessories and beauty products for men and women, known for their simple designs. The company operates approximately 100 locations in the US.
When contacted by USA Today on Wednesday, August 6th, Zara did not immediately respond due to comments about the ad.
Ads flagged to “punch the collarbone”
The two ads feature a model with a “prominent collarbone,” the ASA wrote in its findings.
One of the ads was Oyster White, a Zara ZW Collection oversized pocket shirt. In one of the photos, the low cut design of the shirt focused attention to the model’s upper chest and “focused around her collarbone, which protruded out,” writes ASA. The model’s arms were located at her waist and the other in her pants pocket, making her arms look “very slim.”
Another ad was for Zara’s vast total short dress at ECRU (off-white). In the photo, the shadows of the model’s feet draw attention to them and make them appear “notably thin,” the ASA wrote in its findings. The positioning of the model’s upper arm makes her body appear “slightly unbalanced,” the ASA continues. Finally, the model’s hair is pulled back into the smooth pan, with the “slightly gagged” emphasised on her head.
What was Zara’s reaction?
According to the ASA, Zara claimed that the two models worked for “famous” fashion brands and provided medical certifications to prove they were healthy.
As for the photos themselves, Zara told the ASA that they had not changed outside of “very small lighting and coloring editing.”
The ASA survey, released on August 6, states that Zara has removed the ads from its website. As of August 6th, the vast total flagged photos of the short dresses had been removed, and the entire ZW collection’s oversized pocket shirt list has disappeared from the UK website.
Gretacross is a national trend reporter for USA Today. Story ideas? Please email her gcross@usatoday.com.
