The director of Debenhams has said that the move would ‘better represent what real women actually look like when advertising our clothes.’ The average woman’s dress size in the UK has rise from size 12 to size 16 within the last 10 years.
Incidents of eating disorders have also increased, something that many attribute to how women’s bodies are represented by large fashion brands.
Equality and women’s minister Jo Swinson spoke out in support of Debenham’s decision: ‘Women are fed a diet of images which suggest that there is only one way to look great – and that is to be very slim, white and young. That is the look that is pushed onto all women, regardless of their body shape or age. It is reinforced from the catwalks right through to shop mannequins – which is why I support Debenhams’s decision.’
Jo went on to suggest that other high street stores follow suit. She continued: ‘younger women need to have healthier body images promoted to them, especially when the UK has rising rates of eating disorders. All shops have a role to play.’
Debenhams competitors- which include brands such as Topshop and Miss Selfridge- use size 10 mannequins and Topshop came under fire last year after using a size 0 model on their homepage.
Debenham’s announcement comes after plus size Ralph Lauren model Robyn Lawley commented on women’s body image and the female obsession with the pursuit of the ‘thigh gap.’
There has been some backlash against the department store, with critics taking to Twitter suggesting that size 16 is not a 'normal' size.