Topshop To Stop Using 'Ridiculous' Mannequins

A high street fashion shop has agreed to stop using "unrealistic" tall and skinny mannequins after a woman's complaint attracted thousands of likes on Facebook.

Laura Berry posted a photograph of a mannequin in a Topshop store in Bristol, criticising its "ridiculous" shape and calling on the retailer to be more "responsible for the impression you have on women and young girls".

She wrote: "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."

Ms Berry, of Stroud, Gloucestershire, was shopping at the store in Cribbs Causeway Mall, but chose not to purchase any jeans.

She added: "Perhaps it's about time you became responsible for the impression you have on women and young girls and helped them feel good about themselves rather than impose these ridiculous standards."

Topshop has said the mannequin was based on a size 10, but said it was not meant to be a representation of the average female body and added the company would not be placing any more orders for that particular style.

A spokesperson said: "The overall height (187cm) is taller than the average girl and the form is stylised to have more impact in store.

"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."