Zara's confusing 'love your curves' campaign has caused some real upset

People aren't happy about this Zara campaign [Photo: Twitter/@MuireannO_C ]
People aren’t happy about this Zara campaign [Photo: Twitter/@MuireannO_C ]

The fashion industry has been on something of a diversity drive of late. Campaigns featuring models representing a broad range of body shapes have been going down a storm with a public craving more inclusive style advertising.

Hardly surprising therefore that Zara wanted a slice of the body positive action. And for the past month or so they have been running their ‘Love your curves’ campaign, encouraging women to embrace their bodies in all their curvaceous glory. Great!

There’s just one problem, however, because instead of using a range of models of varying body shapes to urge women to love their bodies, Zara used only their usual super slim models in the images for the campaign. Oh!

Unsurprisingly it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Twitterverse. Broadcaster Muireann O’Connell spotted the campaign in Zara’s Dublin store and took to social media to express her feelings about it.

A radio personality took to Twitter to express her dismay at the new campaign [Photo: Twitter/People aren't happy about this Zara campaign [Photo: Twitter/@MuireannO_C ]
A radio personality took to Twitter to express her dismay at the new campaign [Photo: Twitter/People aren’t happy about this Zara campaign [Photo: Twitter/@MuireannO_C ]

“You have got to be sh**ting me, Zara,” she wrote after sharing an image of the campaign.

Since posting the image has been shared more than 7,700 of times on Twitter and received hundreds of comments from others agreeing that the campaign has totally missed the mark.

“They must know it’s ridiculous. I wondered who signed off on that ad,” one user wrote.

“Its ridiculous and giving a really bad impression to teens. Shame on Zara,” added another

“Come ooooon Zara! You should not have to be told to use women with curves when telling us to love our curves. You’re better than that,” another woman commented.

“All bodies are equally beautiful but… curves where? This is false advertising and could lead to bad self image on young girls c’mon Zara,” another user added.

As Muireann later pointed out, its not about thin-shaming the models who do feature in the advertising. Slimmer women can still have curves, and they should absolutely love those curves. But in a campaign specifically urging women to love their curves, it might have been an idea to at least include some curvier models within it.

So far Zara has yet to comment on the furor, but no doubt they might be re-thinking their next attempt to hop on the body-positive bandwagon.

What do you think of the campaign? Let us know @YahooStyleUK

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