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Body Shaming Social Media

Oasis to review its in-store mannequins after social media users rage over 'inhuman proportions'

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By Gillian West, Social media manager

October 24, 2015 | 2 min read

A photo of an Oasis mannequin with "disgustingly skinny" legs has intensified calls for brands to use more realistic dummies.

Social media users have protested Oasis super skinny mannequins

The image, taken at the store's Westfield London branch, was posted on Twitter by Rhiannon Cosslett along with the comment: "This is disgusting, damaging and irresponsible @oasisfashion, not to mention really weird."

After receiving numerous responses online the fashion chain responded claiming its stylised mannequins were "not intended to symbolise real people." However Cosslett, an freelance writer, told The Independent: "This spectacularly misses the point.

"All aspects of the fashion industry encourage exaggerated thinness and across all media, women are being sent the message that they look rubbish in clothes unless they annihilate their curves and starve themselves in order to attempt to adhere to the body type that only a small percentage of women naturally have…Why can't fashion celebrate all types of women?"

Responding to the backlash, an Oasis spokesperson said: "Our store mannequins are highly stylised to represent an artistic prop and are in no way an attempt to accurately portray true-to-life proportions.

"Oasis is committed to understanding the concerns of our customers and understand the recent debates which have unfolded and therefore the business is in the process of reviewing new mannequins' style."

Other fashion chains including Topshop and Primark have been criticised for their dummies with Debenhams attempting to "lead the high street" introducing size 16 mannequins in November 2013.

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