In The Blogs

Another Ralph Lauren Anorexia Ad

| Thu Oct. 15, 2009 10:48 AM PDT

Does Polo Ralph Lauren find its models in a prison camp? Nope, it just alters them to look that way. (See the "before" version here.) Maybe uproar over this practice will prompt the company to express futher regrets. Geez! When supermodel Filippa Hamilton, who was fired in April for being "overweight," said that the clothier owes all women an apology, she wasn't kidding. (For the full story, read the Related Stories posts below, top to bottom.) And a hat tip to Photoshop Disasters for posting the ad.

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Comments

looking like an anorexic

Submitted by Jim G (not verified) on Thu Oct. 15, 2009 7:20 PM PDT.

The model looks fabulous in the before picture... perfect in fact. Who in the world would want to make her look so unhealthy, and boney, and out of proportion? That's crazy.

The model looks anorexic and

Submitted by KF (not verified) on Fri Oct. 16, 2009 9:59 AM PDT.

The model looks anorexic and unhealthy in the before picture - what's the point of making such a stink over the edited version? She looks sick either way. I'm just really tired of the mock outrage that your typical, apathetic American can manage to drum up over stuff like this. You wouldn't bother being upset about the before picture, even though the model is obviously underweight to an unhealthy extreme because after all, "that's just how fashion is." Give me a break.

Anorexia, or deformed?

Submitted by Jen Phillips on Fri Oct. 16, 2009 2:31 PM PDT.

Even anorexia won't shrink your bones by 5". I don't think she looks anorexic, I think she looks terribly unbalanced. Her arms are too long, and her hand looks monstrous next to those skinny thighs. Her shoulders are about 8" wider than her hips. I can't think of any disorder, eating or otherwise, that would do that to a human being.

I'm with Jen on this one.

Submitted by Trippp on Fri Oct. 16, 2009 5:38 PM PDT.

I'm with Jen on this one. To me the image is SO distorted it has become, not cartoonish exactly, but certainly unreal. It no longer looks human, and thus most people would not want to aspire be it.

I call this one 'weird' but not necessarily offensive. Just odd.

Tripp

In the before picture she

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Oct. 16, 2009 7:20 PM PDT.

In the before picture she looks like a human in need of a sammich.

In the after picture she looks fantastic. She reminds me of David Patrick Kelly as a python in Dreamscape. Or any of a dozen snake/lizard/worm monsters. Look even her sweater and how it is draped is evocative of a python.

She is already underweght in

Submitted by Anna A (not verified) on Sat Oct. 17, 2009 5:33 AM PDT.

She is already underweght in the before pic - the after pic makes her look almost alien. All she needs is an egg-shaped head and black onyx eyes and she'd be perfect for Area 51 or a new X Files flick.

It's pictures like this - both before and after - that put young girls at risk for eating disorders and more. And we can stand around gabbing about "how ugly" and so on but how is that going to make any difference? Ralph Lauren clothes are available in a wide range of sizes, but the full-figured sizes are limited and narrow. Plus,as far as I've seen, the styles in anything over a 12 turn frumpy(er) and aren't worth buying. And heck - a 12, 14, or 16 aren't even considered "plus."

It's a shame that the the once and still goddess-figured Marilyn Monroe body type (size 10-14) is being replaced by the skinny, almost boy-like figures of these models. All we can do is refuse to support these clothiers and fashion mongers by not buying their products.