Victoria’s Secret is in hot water with consumers again after their Facebook promotion sparked thousands of furious photoshopping accusations this week. Real model focused agency Models Direct has read several reports relating to anger over the recent post, and the disagreement has begun in our offices as to whether or not this is another VS Photoshop fail or a further example of a very slim model that many consumers simply cannot relate to.

The majority of negativity about the above image relates to widespread opinion that it has been badly photoshopped, giving the model pictured the appearance of what the Daily Mail describes as ‘thin, bow-shaped cylinders in place of her thighs’. However, some believe that photoshopping is not the culprit and that the image simply portrays an extremely slim model, posing in an unusual way.

Roswitha Schleicher said on the Facebook thread: “It’s not just Photoshop .. she’s doing a massive hollow back to make it appear like that.”

Madelyn Esposito, however, believed that the image had been digitally altered: “Congrats Victoria’s Secret for further perpetuating the idea that skinnier is better. That did not need photoshopping. When will you take a stand that its OK to be a healthy weight? When will you encourage a healthy body image? No wonder so many women have eating disorders…”

Jen Laben agreed, protesting: “What on Earth have you done to that woman’s waist, bum and thighs?! No wonder eating disorders are on the rise when THAT’S what we have to aspire to! I’ll not be buying another VS item until you start using healthy sized models and stop photoshopping them so they look like anorexic plastic dolls.”

Ana Isabel added: “Did you suddenly lose respect for your female customers? Not only are these distorted photos in pure bad taste, you are also sending the wrong message. I would like you to dare to let normal women do your advertising.”

Whatever the case, the point seems to be that images like this give the average woman, or girl, an unrealistic – or even inappropriate – ideal to live up to. This is bad timing from Victoria’s Secret, as consumers have begun to see definite changes in attitude from other brands in recent months regarding the kinds of models that they use to represent them. The truth is that public opinion is turning. People are becoming more media literate and less tolerant of the kinds of images that make them or their children feel bad about themselves.

Models Direct is all for a healthy lifestyle but when we see images of bodies that for many of us to achieve would mean quite extreme and obsessive dieting we have to question whether it’s okay. Yes, some girls are naturally this slim, but they are very much in the minority, and for any parent these days the reality that children are being negatively affected by the ideals that images like this create is undeniable.

The key is surely balance? It would be unfair to girls who are naturally very slim to treat them as ‘abnormal’, just as it is obviously unfair to treat ‘average’ or plus-size girls this way. However, if all you see in the media is one shape/size or the other it will undoubtedly warp your view. Models Direct believes that the time for seeing more of a mix of shapes and sizes in every brand’s model choices is long overdue, and that on this basis – with health as the priority – we should aim to celebrate our differences without prejudice.