Are Topshop UK's mannequins too skinny?

We've heard about models criticised for being too skinny, but ... mannequins? 

That's the controversy that UK fashion brand Topshop is dealing with, after a shopper tweeted a photo of her friend next to a mannequin at one of their stores. 

University student Becky Hopper took a photo of her friend Georgia, who she says is between a UK size eight to ten, standing next to the mannequin at the Topshop store in Hull in the UK on Oct 28.

The photo shows how skinny the mannequin's legs are, compared to Hopper's friend. 

Hopper added the hashtags #poorbodyimage and #irresponsible to her tweet, which has since been retweeted almost 6,000 times. 

 

 

Responsible?

"I was shocked. I’d never seen one so skinny before," Hopper told The Independent. 

"First of all I think people deserve some kind of response. They should look at the mannequins because they are not the best portrayal of women's bodies.

"It is fine for us because we're relatively body confident but many teenage girls really struggle."

Topshop UK has not contacted the girls, or responded to requests for comment.

Abuse

But not everyone has agreed with the girls.

Hopper said she and her friend have received abuse online for "skinny shaming", while her friend has been called "obese" by some netizens. 

Some have also come to Topshop's defence:

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: Twitter, The Independent