Is tremendous skinny again? UK sees rise in complaints over skinny fashions

The banning of excessive avenue trend adverts which featured fashions who seemed “unhealthily skinny” has led trade specialists to warn of a return to the tremendous skinny development.

The aesthetic characterised by fashions with hole faces and protruding bones was seen within the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s however in more moderen years been pushed apart to permit house for the physique optimistic motion which embraced curves.

Nevertheless Zara, Subsequent and Marks & Spencer have all had adverts banned in latest months over fashions who “appeared unhealthily skinny”. The promoting watchdog has informed the BBC it has seen a “particular uptick” in complaints about such advertisements.

The Promoting Requirements Authority (ASA) stated in 2025 it had obtained 5 or 6 of those complaints per week however within the two weeks after July’s M&S advert ban it had greater than 20.

In 2024 it obtained 61 complaints about fashions’ weight but it surely solely had grounds to analyze eight.

The figures are tiny however it’s one thing the watchdog is protecting an in depth eye on, together with cracking down on unlawful adverts for prescription-only weight reduction medication.

ASA tips state that advertisers ought to be certain that they do not current an unhealthy physique picture as aspirational.

Mannequin and activist Charli Howard wrote a viral open letter after being dropped by her modelling company for being “too massive” regardless of being a UK measurement six to eight.

A decade on she says: “I feel we’re on the cusp of seeing heroin stylish return.”

The phrase heroin stylish was used within the early Nineteen Nineties, when some fashions had been extraordinarily skinny, pale and had darkish beneath eye circles paying homage to drug use.

Ms Howard says the excessive avenue adverts are as worrying as pictures being shared on social media as “thinspiration”.

In June, TikTok blocked search outcomes for “skinnytok” – a hashtag which critics say directs individuals in the direction of content material which “idolises excessive thinness.”

“Some ladies are naturally skinny, and that is completely fantastic. However intentionally hiring fashions who seem unwell is deeply disturbing,” she stated.

The ASA in all its latest rulings, didn’t deem any fashions to be unhealthy. Within the case of Subsequent it acknowledged that in different photographs of the identical mannequin she appeared wholesome. As a substitute it stated the pose, styling and digicam angles made every of the fashions within the retailers adverts seem thinner.

M&S stated the mannequin’s pose was chosen to painting confidence and ease and to not convey slimness. Subsequent stated the mannequin, whereas slim, had a “wholesome and toned physique”.

Zara, which had two adverts banned final week, stated that each fashions had medical certification proving they had been in good well being.

The ASA stated that shadows, poses, and a slick again bun coiffure had been used to make the fashions seem thinner.

“Lighting positively performs a task – it will possibly convey out cheekbones, collarbones, and ribcages,” Ms Howard stated.

“After the physique positivity motion of the 2010s, it was sadly inevitable trend would possibly swing again… and we all know simply how dangerous it may be,” she stated.

For mannequin and yoga instructor Charlotte Holmes, the demand for thinner fashions is nothing new.

Throughout her 20-year profession she observed “a quick second of elevated inclusivity” however was nonetheless turned down for jobs for “not being skinny sufficient.”

“The physique positivity motion raised consciousness, but it surely did not absolutely change the system. Now, it seems like we’re again the place we began,” she says.

The 36-year-old was topped Miss England in 2012 and got here fourth in Britain and Eire’s Subsequent Prime Mannequin in 2010.

She believes “ultra-thin” has all the time remained the “silent customary” for fashions.

“Phrases like ‘heroin stylish’ and developments like ‘skinnytok’ present how rapidly dangerous beliefs can resurface. It isn’t progress, it is repetition,” she says.

Style journalist and marketing consultant Victoria Moss doesn’t assume we face “heroin stylish” however as an alternative connects the development to the rise of weight reduction injections.

“What’s taking place in the mean time throughout broader tradition is about thinness being held up as an ethical well being crucial, pushed by the zeal over GLP-1 weight reduction treatment,” she says.

Ms Moss acknowledged many celebrities, like Kim Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey, have visibly shrunk earlier than our eyes.

However she nonetheless thinks it’s uncommon to see very slim fashions in Excessive Road trend campaigns, saying it’s “extra a catwalk phenomenon”.

“I feel in all these circumstances the fashions have been very younger, it have to be extremely upsetting for them to turn out to be the main target of those banned adverts. Many ladies are naturally very slim and it’s fallacious to forged aspersions,” she says.

Simone Konu-Rae stylist and senior lecturer in trend communication at Central Saint Martins, College of the Arts, London says whereas you will need to “recognize that the human physique is available in a variety of styles and sizes”, being skinny shouldn’t be essentially again in trend “it merely by no means went away”.

“Excessive Road manufacturers use runway fashions to raise their collections,” she reckons.

“The Excessive Road is saying ‘look, we’ve the identical mannequin as your favorite luxurious model, and our merchandise look simply pretty much as good at a fraction of the worth’,” she provides.

Ms Konu-Rae says the issue shouldn’t be that the fashions aren’t wholesome however that that is “not the norm for many individuals, and making an attempt to attain this physique sort will be dangerous.

“Exhibiting extra physique range is essential to exhibiting individuals they are often trendy and trendy with out having to alter who they’re,” she says.

Private stylist Keren Beaumont says the comeback of nineties trend – resembling ultra-low rise denims and strappy slip tops – might be accountable.

“With these re-emerging developments in silhouettes, we see hip bones and chests uncovered and consistent with the unique displays of those silhouettes, these are being proven on very, very skinny fashions,” she says.

“My hope is that the latest imagery from Subsequent, M&S and Zara can be a reminder to manufacturers to take care of the range we’ve seen in fashions lately and to not regress again to outdated requirements.”

Matt Wilson on the ASA says the problem highlighted manufacturers’ tasks and “the thoughtfulness they should take”.

“Societally we all know there’s an issue with consuming issues and we should proceed to ban adverts which will trigger hurt.”

In case you are involved concerning the points raised on this article, assist and help is obtainable through the BBC Motion Line.