Shein Strikes Again With Another Fatphobic Ad

Online fast-fashion mega-retailer Shein is known for more than just its crazy cheap prices, thousands of of-the-moment styles, and the corresponding horrific impact all of the above has on working conditions and the environment. Shein is also known for its ubiquitous ads all over social media and, most recently, for how offensive those ads can be.

I recently stumbled upon one of Shein’s marketing campaigns on Twitter and it made my jaw drop when I read it. The tweet from the gold-checked (i.e., a verified business account) @SHEIN_Official features an image of an attractive white woman who looks to be mid-size or on the low end of plus-size in a blue, very modest pants suit with the words “SHEIN Curve; be your own stylist; install now,” appearing to advertise that the app has plus-size options. So far, so whatever. They could have used a model who more clearly represents the “plus-size” fashion shopper, but what do we expect from an “infamously exploitive” company? 

However. However! I did not expect things to go so obviously fatphobic in the caption, which reads, “Feed Your Need for Fashion! Shopping For Yourself New Styles For You.” And I’m sorry, what?! “FEED your need for fashion?” Shein doesn’t use “feed” in its straight-sized fashion campaigns. Generally, a basic rule of good copywriting is to use words that appeal to your target audience. Shein’s press contact hasn’t responded to my inquiries at this point, but is Shein super obviously and knowingly suggesting that its plus-size customers are most interested in “feeding” on consumables like a big ol’ bunch of animals? It kind of seems like that, and it’s not effing cool.

One Twitter user, Jude Mel Roses, replied to the insulting ad, saying, “‘Feed Your Need for Fashion’ The marketing incognito pun for those who are  ‘Curvy,’” with several yikes face emojis.

Roses followed up with another tweet, which reads, “‘Feed Your Need for Fashion’

The marketing pun for heavy set gals in modern society is extremely insensitive,” adding, “Also, this is an absolutely tacky business suit. #Tasteless #BeKind” And I’m right there with them.

Shein’s marketing team could have been unaware that such language would be insensitive, but this is not even the first time the company has been bashed for fatphobia in its plus-size ads. Last October, the Chinese mega-brand came under fire for an ad for plus-size tights. In the Twitter campaign, instead of using a plus-size model, the image showed a mid-size woman wearing the tights with a full-on five-gallon water jug inside the tights with her to show the tights could stretch to fit a larger body. The result was truly bizarre and fat-shaming. Looks like Shein is at it again.

(featured image: Eamonn M. McCormack, Getty Images)