Check out this mannequin at the clothing store @Glassons Purging is in this season! xx pic.twitter.com/lojSGzlt7e
— Emillionär (@EmilyRobins) October 9, 2014
“Due to the position of the mannequin with the arm elevated and slightly twisted, the rib cage is naturally enhanced as it would be in real life,” Graeme Popplewell, chief executive of Hallensteins Glassons Group, told Stuff.co.nz. “The store lighting spotlights also increase this effect.” Seriously? We’re laughing so much our ribs hurt.
A spokeswoman from Glassons New Zealand also told Buzzfeed that the mannequins will remain in stores and she does not see the need to remove them from shop windows. Um, how could you not understand why these offensive inanimate objects should be binned?
Facebook user Lily Loveheart Kemp can see the harm in this stupid decision by Glassons, even with a physique similar to the mannequins in question. “I am the body shape portrayed by your mannequins, and i would be ecstatic if this body shape stopped being promoted to a country who’s average size is a 12!!” she wrote to Glassons’ Facebook wall.
She added, “A vast majority of kiwi women would have to be anorexic to achieve this, so how about getting some social responsibility and admitting that you’re in the wrong. I am not setting foot in your stores again until i not only see the mannequins withdrawn, but i also see a public apology. SHAME ON YOU!!”
Store mannequins throughout the world are already pretty bloody thin, so are visible ribs really necessary? We’re giving a proverbial slap on the wrist to Glassons, because this move is just plain wrong. We’re thinking mums and dads with young daughters will be doing their Christmas shopping elsewhere this year.
