Controversial American clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch has been accused of removing an advert following a backlash over the large size of the mannequin used to promote items.
The advert, which appeared on Instagram, featured a blonde model showcasing the brand’s latest styles which now include plus sizes.
In the now-deleted ad, the model wears a fitted black crop top and black denim cutouts.
Other ads featuring plus-size models of different nationalities have also appeared on the brand’s social media feeds, but it’s this most recent ad that has drawn the most vitriol.
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An Abercrombie & Fitch follower was quick to slam the ad, tweeting, “The new Abercrombie & Fitch ad just dropped…This season they’re featuring diabetes and heart attacks,” said Natalie Danelishen.
The cruel comments continued. One person tweeted, “Who’s gonna look at this picture and think, I want to look like this, I’m ordering these shorts!”
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Another said: ‘She has a pretty face, too bad society told her that not only was it healthy to look like that, it was also brave and empowering.’
“She’s really pretty but she should definitely try to eat healthier, which includes diet and all, because fat cells are where our body stores excess toxins, and it’s important to lose weight slowly, it’s important. ‘s why so many people struggle with it,” another commented.
“It’s not pretty. It’s an abomination,” added another.
One person said, “I just don’t understand how attractive that is.”
“They’ve gone too far,” said another.
One person commented: “This isn’t real. Is it? This is beyond plus size or body positive. This girl is probably 20 and can’t get out of bed without help Is the psychology behind it all making thinner people feel good in comparison rather than having perfect role models like before?”
Although many have stepped in to defend the deleted ad, especially the mentions of diabetes.
“My 15 year old son has type 1 diabetes. There was nothing he could have done to prevent this autoimmune disease. He had strep throat and his pancreas stopped doing its job. Before you laugh at diabetes like being caused by poor diet, do some research,” one woman explained.
“I don’t get it. The woman in pink was cute but then they jump on it??! I mean the top is awful. Those clothes don’t fit her figure at all. And it’s a little too much in the inclusion of taller campaign girls. If you’re going to use this model, at least dress her appropriately,” added another.
A person remembered Abercrombie & Fitch’s youthful, slim and white past.
“So this is what Abercrombie looked like when I was in high school,” they shared.
“Wow they used to get in trouble because they didn’t carry anything XL,” added another.
“Lean, fit people are a minority these days. So companies are going to adapt to bigger weights and start calling it ‘all-inclusive’ or body love. They have to sell to the market at at your fingertips,” one person shared.
The American clothing brand began doing damage control following the release of a Netflix documentary titled White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch during which former employees claimed to have been discriminated against because of their race and size.
American fashion editor Robin Givhan said in the documentary, “No other mall brand has gone to the extreme like Abercrombie in micromanaging the look of everything from the store to the person cleaning the storeroom.”
The company then launched its own diversity and inclusion team and in 2011 estimated that around 53% of store employees should be diverse, but allegations of discrimination continued.
Over the past few years, the company has taken bold steps to override claims made in this documentary, including this most recent series of advertisements featuring various models of varying heights, genders and nationalities, with results. mixed.
9Honey has contacted Abercrombie & Fitch for comment.
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