Navigating the Weight Debate: Snag Clothing Challenges Body Image Standards
The online clothing brand Snag, led by CEO Brigitte Read, faces over 100 daily complaints regarding the perceived weight of its models, which range in size from 4 to 38. These complaints are often framed within the wider context of a societal debate on body image representation in advertising. While there is significant criticism towards models perceived as ‘too fat’, particularly following a ban on an advert featuring an ‘unhealthily thin’ model from competitor, Next, Read argues that this backlash stems from societal fatphobia and negatively affects mental health.
Catherine Thom, a critic from Edinburgh, points to what she perceives as hypocrisy in body positivity campaigns that embrace fat models while banning advertisements of those who are underweight, arguing that all weight extremes can be harmful. This sentiment was echoed in an extensive Reddit discussion containing over 1,000 comments.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has reported that the majority of complaints it receives are in relation to thin models, indicating a societal viewpoint that favours thinness. However, Read insists on the necessity of representing models of all body types, stating that all individuals are valid consumers deserving of seeing clothes modeled on people who look like them.
Model Sophie Scott, who has experienced mixed reactions to her body size in the public eye, echoes this view, suggesting that representation can inspire those with similar body types to embrace fashion.
Experts like fashion journalist Victoria Moss weigh in, noting that real plus-size representation is often lacking in the fashion industry, with models still adhering closely to traditional beauty standards. The ASA acknowledges receiving a total of only 61 complaints regarding weight in advertising in 2024, illustrating the complexities surrounding the discussion of healthy versus unhealthy body images in marketing, and the ongoing societal challenge of normalizing diversity in body shapes.