When Thin Goes Too Far: Zara’s UK Ad Ban and What It Reveals About Fashion’s Limits.
In early August 2025, Zara, a global fast-fashion powerhouse under Inditex, found itself at the center of a heated debate. The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned two of its online advertisements. The reason? Models appearing “unhealthily thin” a designation the regulator deemed both irresponsible and troubling.
The Ads in Question
Oversized Shirt Ad: The first image featured a model wearing a loose, low-cut shirt. The ASA criticized the angle of her pose and the design’s emphasis on her protruding collarbones, which, combined with her posture, created the impression of extreme thinness.
Short Dress Ad: The second image showed a model in a short, voluminous dress. According to the ASA, shadows accentuated her legs, her head appeared slightly gaunt, and again, her collarbones were conspicuously visible, leading to the conclusion that the depiction was socially irresponsible.
Despite the scrutiny, Zara insists that two other titles featuring the same models pass regulatory standards. Still, all four images were removed voluntarily from Zara’s app and website, even those without formal complaints.