This time, the fashion industry is moving slowly towards embracing and accepting all body types, but an incident that happened in Oklahoma, USA, gives us a different picture.
21-year-old, Sherene Marie Zarrabi, an employee at a clothing boutique named Dainty Hooligan in Stillwater resigned from the job after an email that she received from her boss who mentioned that she isn’t a ‘model material’. Zarrabi was modeling for the Instagram account of this clothing store and now the CEO, Jessica Issler wants to take down those photos as she feels that they don’t represent the brand. She states that she wants a small size ‘model’ for modeling their clothes. Further, she asked her to use their pictures of their models if the clothing store cannot find someone who is fit to be a ‘model material’.
Zarrabi used Facebook for expressing her grief and said that she was fully comfortable with the way she looks and the way she is. She doesn’t wish to support or represent a business having such archaic beliefs and values.
The email read
Hello,
Something I want to make sure you keep in mind: I want size small, the stereotypical “model” type to model our clothes. Please use our pictures of our models if Stillwater store can’t find someone who would be considered “model material”. This is not to put anyone down but to communicate the expectations of presenting our brand.
Don’t take it personal, all I ask for is really good representation. In exchange for the freedom, I ask you to take down all the pictures of anyone that doesn’t fit the criteria.
Thanks Jessica
Although the CEO had asked her not to take things personally, continuing work with the store became difficult for Zarrabi. In a phone interview, Issler stated that she wasn’t sorry for what she said because Zarrabi wasn’t healthy mentally. She didn’t mean to be attacking or mean but at the same time she is not going to apologize for whatever has happened. However, Zarrabi made a post on Facebook where she said that an apology email was received from Issler, which she definitely appreciates. However, things are not going to be changed by it.
