Just weeks after Primark made headlines for the 'forced labour' scandal - when notes apparently from workers who make the clothes turned up in the pockets - the high street store is back in the news, this time following Twitter complaints that saw users criticising their use of skinny mannequins with protruding ribs.
'Dear Primark, is it really necessary that these new mannequins have protruding ribs?' tweeted shopper Mel Fraser alongside an image of the mannequin. 'I’d just like to see mannequins in all different shapes and sizes in all stores rather than young girls thinking this is the only way to be.'
Her picture quickly went viral, racking up over 14,000 shares and prompting the budget fashion house to announce that it would be changing its window displays. 'The mannequin you describe will not be used in this way again,' they tweeted.
Primark aren't the only ones who have been accused of idealising thinner body shapes, with lingerie brand La Perla also recently facing a similar backlash for their skinny mannequins. But the fact that brands like Primark are sitting up, paying attention and listening to customer complaints is definitely a good thing, and a step in the right direction.
The fashion industry at large is, in fact, currently making moves towards helping to promote a healthier-looking body image, with 'real women' presented in catwalks during fashion week at shows like Jean Paul Gaultier. Department store Debenhams also announced in November of last year that it would be rolling out size 16 mannequins alongside its standard size 10.
We say yes! Nothing bad can come from equal representation of different kinds of body shapes and sizes. After all, how boring would the world be if everyone looked the same...
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Picture: Twitter
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.