Topshop to stop buying ‘ridiculously skinny’ mannequins

Topshop will no longer buy “unrealistic” tall and skinny mannequins after a customer’s complaints caused a storm of criticism on Facebook.

However the high-street chain will continue to use the fibre glass models it already owns to display clothe, despite the online backlash.

A Topshop spokesperson confirmed the chain will not place another order for the 6ft 1ins “stylised” mannequins but would not be removing existing models from its shop floors.

The “ridiculously shaped” mannequins were highlighted by Laura Berry who snapped a picture of one in a Bristol store. She said such mannequins risked imposing unrealistic standards on young women.

The post in which she told the retailer: “I’m calling you out, on your lack of concern for a generation of extremely body conscious youth,” attracted more than 3,000 likes and was shared hundreds of times.

Writing on her Facebook page Ms Berry, from Gloucestershire, said: “This mannequin is quite frankly ridiculously-shaped. Young women aspire to the somewhat cult image your store offers.

“Yet not one mannequin in your store showed anything bigger than a size 6.

“So today, I’m calling you out Topshop, on your lack of concern for a generation of extremely body conscious youth.

“I’m old enough and wise enough to know I will never be this size, but as we’ve all been impressionable teens at one point, I’m fairly certain if any of us were to witness this in our teenage years, it would have left us wondering if that was what was expected of our bodies.”

Although planning to buy a new pair of her favourite jeans, she had a change of heart after seeing the mannequin. “I used my size 10/12 legs to walk straight out of your store,” she added.

Topshop said the mannequin was “is based on a standard UK size 10” but the overall height of the mannequin is made far higher than a standard woman and the “form” of the model is “stylised” for increased impact.

The spokesman confirmed that “at present” Topshop would continue to use the mannequin.

The statement continued: “As the mannequins are solid fibreglass, their form needs to be of certain dimensions to allow clothing to be put on and removed easily; this is therefore not meant to be a representation of the average female body.

“That said, we have taken yours and other customers’ opinions and feedback on board and going forward we are not placing any further orders on this style of mannequin. The views of our customers are extremely valuable and we apologise if we have not lived up to the levels of service that we aim to deliver.”