Model Poses With Water Dispenser: Where Are We With Size Diversity?

In another instance of everyday fashion failure, online shoppers have slammed an e-commerce retail store, for using models with props rather than real plus-sized models. The pictures shared on their website showed a model posing with a large water dispenser attached to her hip and tights stretched over its top.

The users criticised the company's representation of the extra-sized tights by posting a screenshot of the product from the company's app. A model was seen holding a water can with a capacity of 10 litres in the photo indicating that the tights are truly stretchable. A Twitter user commented that they could source more plus-size models to demonstrate the clothes without the need for props such as a water bottle.

Shein Model Poses With Water Dispenser: Where Are We With Size Diversity?

The action from Shein led to a plethora of reactions from shoppers ranging from anger to sheer disbelief. One person called the pictures an "embarrassment", and another quipped: "Shame on Shein."

Another wrote: "Instead of finding a right model they resulted to just being like “look how much sh*t we can fit in these tights!!”

"I think it's so sad when brands get things so wrong. The number of plus-size women that are still not allowed in the modelling industry and instead of using them Shein think it's ok to do this?" another argued.

And one user jabbed: "They can easily find a plus size models who can do justice to their plus size products, they just need to look."

Others had a hard time believing the pictures were real, one said: "This has to be fake."

Fashion is a way of expressing ourselves in our most authentic form and it is important that more corporates and designers recognise that there are people worldwide wanting to jump into trends and feel represented in all aspects.

The runway presence of plus-size models is admirable, however, showcasing body inclusivity at fashion week goes far beyond availability—it allows individuals to be seen and feel represented. Moreover having representation in these circles is crucial for the genuine development and acceptance of all body types.

Throughout the pandemic, mental health, well-being, self-love and self-care have been at the centre of our core conversations, alongside the real importance of diversity and inclusion. We’ve seen such a huge change from brands pushing the narrative of including bodies of all sizes across their social media pages, brand campaigns and messaging, showing that they were listening to the current climate on inclusion. Surely that wasn’t just a trend, was it?

It is imperative to normalise all different types of bodies. Not just as a one-time gimmick or as an attempt to save a company’s reputation, but women really want to see that change, with the roots of size diversity firmly grounded in the earth, ready to grow and bloom.

Resist. Reset.

For the last few years, I have seen extreme changes in my body. There’s a renewed pressure that I am seeing, feeling, hearing—a familiar pressure to cut calories, to get thinner, to worry, is my butt too big? Are my thighs too big? Am I eating too much?

The thing that I forgot while fighting with my body was that we all change with age. It’s part of life. To pretend otherwise would be foolish. But social media and the fashion and beauty industry have imposed a cruel burden on women by trying to convince us that a thin, ‘conventionally pretty’ body is what all women should strive toward, regardless of our age and life situation.

While certain body shapes coming in and out of style is nothing new, the whiplash I feel somehow caught me off guard. Surely there are enough trends to chase but my body doesn’t have to be one of them. Though I am still not there yet, it is taking a whole lot of crying and counselling to achieve steady progress in the arena of body acceptance. And the least corporates can do to help us achieve it is by being inclusive.

My hope is that young women of all shapes and sizes are able to find and invest in communities where they might be able to find some respite. If we’re going to resist this body-diversity regression, then we’re going to have to be so intentional about coming together to resist. Let women catch a breath, and live the way they want to.

The views expressed are the author's own.

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