Zara, a clothing line known for its popularity among teenage girls, just released a new campaigned geared towards “body positivity.” Though not an unfamiliar concept, the company’s method for going about it received mockery and backlash.
The ad features two skinny models in jeans and baseball tees. The picture is captioned, “Love Your Curves.” Obviously, this sparked outrage and mockery amongst fans everywhere, particularly on Twitter.
Dear @zara, we heard you are in desperate need of curvy models. May we offer our assistence? #loveyourcurves CC @MuireannO_C pic.twitter.com/p1RU7p5zCY
— Kita van Slooten (@kitavanslooten) March 2, 2017
Hey @Zara, I and a few of my girlfriends got some real curves. I can DM dem to u if you wanna see dem, okay?! Thanks! #LoveYourCurves #ZARA pic.twitter.com/zNuANTtTDh
— Mearl Colaco (@mearlcolaco) March 1, 2017
When @ZARA tell you to love your curves with two models who are no bigger than a size 6… ?♀️? pic.twitter.com/eGnjS5EDJO
— REBEKKA ? (@rebekka_arnold) March 2, 2017
The tweets go on and on but you get the point. Zara’s use of skinny models eradicated the purpose of the ad. It perpetuates that the only curves we should love are the ones that come with society’s acceptable beauty standards for women. Now don’t get me wrong, these two young models are beautiful in their own right. But they don’t encompass the diversity of curvy women or women body types in general.
Women come in all shapes and sizes. Some of us don’t have many curves, and some of us do. Some of us have stretch marks, some of us don’t. But at the end of the day, we should have to pick and choose which of those attributes creates the best body type.
And to Zara- it’s not that hard to find actual curvy and plus sized models. If you want to advocate for body positivity then show that in nonconventional body types and body diversity. We have every right to be outraged, to make a mockery, and to be disappointed. We already know that the world loves skinny body types, it’s time to teach it to love others too.
