Yahoo Lifestyle Lingerie Brand Hits Back At Victoria’s Secret ‘Perfect Body’ Campaign
Top: the JD Williams campaign vs (bottom) the Victoria's Secret campaign.
Victoria's Secret caused a few heads to roll earlier this week when it launched an ad featuring Angels Behati Prinsloo, Lily Aldridge and Jasmine Tookes in their lingerie emblazoned with the slogan, 'The Perfect Body'.
In response, three UK students who spotted the advert in a shopping centre in Leeds started a petition against the campaign, calling for it to be pulled for promoting unhealthy body image.
Now, a British lingerie brand has taken things a step further by launching a campaign of its own, aptly titled #PerfectlyImperfect.
Featuring models ranging in size from 10-16, the campaign, launched by JD Williams, aims to celebrate the female figure in all forms.
"We have a responsibility as a retailer to promote positive body image to our customers and that means being representative of women in the UK," said Ed Watson, a spokesperson for the retailer.
Susan Rigland, CEO of eating disorder charity BEAT, added: "We are delighted to see JD Williams taking such a positive stance against the negative influence of the 'perfect fit'. We know perfection doesn't come in one size or shape, and how harmful it can be to pretend it does.
"We know that fashion has what it takes to get real and get in touch with what people want - images that show real health, real beauty and real lives."
Meanwhile, the petition started by the UK students has since attracted over 20,000 signatures.
"Victoria's Secret's new advertisements play on women's insecurities, and send out a damaging message by positioning the words 'The Perfect Body' across models who have exactly the same, very slim body type," explained students Gabriella Kountourides, Laura Ferris and Frances Black.
"All this does is perpetuate low self-esteem among women who are made to feel that their bodies are inadequate and unattractive because they do not fit into a narrow standard of beauty. It contributes to a culture that encourages serious health problems such as negative body image and eating disorders."
Added a previous employee of the brand, "Society needs to change the way they view a woman's appearance. As a former Victoria's Secret employee, I know that the company was developed to design lingerie to make women feel better about themselves. The marketing team apparently didn't get the memo."
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Victoria's Secret under fire for perfect body campaign
