Sign up for afaqs! Newsletters
Customers sing Asos’ praises for using images of ‘normal’ women
No photoshop, no airbrushing. Asos sticks to images of women that are natural and not beautified.
Fashion marketers have always come under fire for airbrushing imperfection. The practice of touching up pictures of models to banish cellulite, stretch marks and acne has been a touchy subject among customers.
On International Women’s Day in March this year, e-comm fashion company Net-A-Porter came in for some bad PR after it accidentally uploaded a product image instructing a graphic designer to ‘slim’ a model.
Asos’ body positive journey has been emulated by New Zealand’s lingerie brand, Lonely, Aerie (from American Eagle) and Rheya Swimwear. Praise for Asos poured in from its customers as they took to social media to express their appreciation.
The praise on Twitter was fulsome even if the comments were rather predictable - So much respect for @ASOS not editing out stretch marks on the models! Women should feel beautiful always – went one. Another one said: As someone who has always been ashamed of her stretch marks & felt I was the only 1 of my friends to have them, @ASOS are my #MVP!
In May last year, American Eagle Outfitters' decision to stop photoshopping models in ad campaigns for its Aerie lingerie brand paid off after the brand revealed a huge surge in sales.