Laura Berry posted a photograph of a mannequin used in a Topshop store in Bristol, slamming the 'ridiculous' shape. Photo / Facebook
Laura Berry posted a photograph of a mannequin used in a Topshop store in Bristol, slamming the 'ridiculous' shape. Photo / Facebook
Popular fashion brand Topshop has agreed to scrap unrealistically tall and skinny mannequins after a social media complaint went viral in the UK.
There is no word yet on exactly what model measures could be taken here in New Zealand, however Barkers managing director and Topshop NZ spokesman Jamie Whiting said that the mannequin in question cannot be found on the floor here.
During a visit to the flagship store on Auckland's Queen Street this morning the Herald online observed the use of similar, skinny pins in the petite section.
Mr Whiting said mannequins in NZ reflected a UK size 10 and were 170cm tall. There were some smaller ones on display in the petite section which caters down to a size 4. The mannequins elongated hands and feet were designed for ease of merchandising. They were all selected by the UK store fit out team when the outlet opened earlier this year.
"As far as I understand, our parent company in the UK is addressing their mannequin sizing and selection, but in New Zealand we don't carry the mannequin that's currently in question in the UK," Mr Whiting told the Herald online.
Laura Berry posted a photograph of a mannequin used in a Topshop store in Bristol, slamming the "ridiculous" shape, and asked the store to consider the "impression you have on women and young girls".
She wrote: "This mannequin is quite frankly ridiculously-shaped. Young women aspire to the somewhat cult image your store offers. Which I'm sure you're aware by your sales figures and hashtags on Instagram. Yet not one mannequin in your store showed anything bigger than a size 6.
"In fact, I'm not even sure the one in the picture is even that. So today, I'm calling you out Topshop, on your lack of concern for a generation of extremely body conscious youth.
"I'm old enough and wise enough to know I will never be this size, but as we've all been impressionable teens at one point, I'm fairly certain if any of us were to witness this in our teenage years, it would have left us wondering if that was what was expected of our bodies."
Ms Berry, of Stroud, Gloucestershire, was shopping in Cribbs Causeway Mall for a pair of jeans, but used her "size 10/12 legs to walk straight out of your store" when she saw them on the mannequin.
Her post attracted more than 3000 likes and hundreds of comments.
Topshop said the model was based on a size 10, but admitted it had been tailored for effect and agreed not to order it again.
They said: "The overall height (187cm) is taller than the average girl and the form is stylised to have more impact in store.
"As the mannequins are solid fibreglass, their form needs to be of certain dimensions to allow clothing to be put on and removed easily; this is therefore not meant to be a representation of the average female body.
"That said, we have taken yours and other customers' opinions and feedback on board and going forward we are not placing any further orders on this style of mannequin."
It's not the first time Topshop UK have come under fire for their skinny mannequins - a photograph of a "normal girl" standing by the skinny legs in store went viral last year.
New Zealand's flagship Topshop store opened earlier this year, to a stamped of shoppers on Auckland's Queen Street.
