Zara has become embroiled in a social media storm after an advertisement implored women to “love your curves.” Those three words are harmless. On the surface, Zara’s slogan is a refreshing counterpoint to “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”, a phrase that seems to have dominated the fashion industry ever since I was old enough to take an interest in it. The problem with Zara’s advertisement is that the phrase “love your curves” is placed next to two extremely slim young girls.
(Photo Credit: CNN)
It is actually terrifying. It is one thing to subliminally indoctrinate young girls to think that skinny is superior; it is quite another to plaster a positive body message next to two girls who look like they are on the brink of being a healthy weight. They are certainly not curvy, unless you count having one ounce of flesh on you bum “a curve.” It was spotted in a store in Dublin by Irish radio personality Muireann O’Connell, who tweeted a picture of it says: “You have got to be s******g me, Zara.” And really, I couldn’t agree more.
Her tweet went viral, with thousands of people confused and angry by the campaign’s conflicted message.
(Photo Credit: Twitter)
Zara has been approached for comment. Will they come back with a sufficient excuse for this harmful slogan which only exacerbates an endemic issue regarding young girls’ health today? I doubt it.