DEBENHAMS TO LAUNCH SIZE 16 MANNEQUINS

We all know there is a constant pressure to be skinny, and high street stores continue to drive this image with a majority of size 10 models, occasionally going up to a size 12 in some stores such as Dorothy Perkins. Furthermore, in advertising the models get even skinnier, with campaigns being quickly removed off of the site due to 'anorexic' looking girls. But today Debenhams is changing this image.

In Debenhams' flagship Oxford Street store today, they will launch the size 16 mannequins along with their standard size 10. This will later spread through 170 of its stores in the following months. Some may see this as just a publicity stunt to create a stir, but Debenhams have done their research and are using this to make women feel better about their popular body shape. Ed Watston, Debenhams PR director has said: "The average British woman is a size 16, but the high street has been showing them clothing on a mannequin that is three sizes smaller - until now…Having worked on this project for three years, we hope that it will help people in some small way to feel comfortable about their bodies and crucially, that other retailers will follow".

The average size of females in the UK has risen from a size 12 to a 16 in the past ten years, so isn't it about time retailers channeled the masses? Yet it's not just about the size of the models that is the issue, it's very rare that you see an advertising campaign these days that hasn't been photoshopped and airbrushed. However, Debenhams have also targeted this issue, pledging to stop using airbrushed models earlier this year.

Hopefully this launch will catch on further than just throughout Debenhams stores, but it's a great place to start!

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