Calvin Klein advert featuring FKA Twigs banned for being ‘overly sexualised’
A Calvin Klein advert featuring singer FKA Twigs has been banned following complaints it was 'overly sexualised'.
The British singer, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, posed for Calvin Klein for a series of images advertising its fashion.
Twigs showed off different styles in the photos - including one image showing her in jeans and a bralet, and another showing her in a denim shirt.
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One of the images of Twigs in the denim shirt was released as a poster in April and featured the slogan: "Calvins or nothing."
Though the shirt covered part of the singer's body, she appeared to be naked underneath.
The shirt was positioned off one shoulder to show off Twigs' shoulder, the side of her breast and her bare hips and legs.
Many people have praised the images, with viewers describing Twigs as 'stunning' and saying they 'love the styles' - but not everyone welcomed the adverts.
In response to the poster of Twigs in the denim shirt, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received two complaints branding the images as 'overly sexualised', offensive and irresponsible because they objectified women.
The complaints further claimed the ads were inappropriate because they had been put on display in an area where anyone could see them.
After looking into the complaints, the ASA said it agreed with the claims and said the poster focused on 'the model's body rather than on the clothing being advertised', making her appear as a 'stereotypical sexual object'.
The authority continued: “We therefore concluded the ad was irresponsible and likely to cause serious offence.”
None of Twigs' adverts had been placed within 100 meters of a school - but the ASA determined that it should not have appeared at all.
It ultimately decided to ban the ad, saying: “The ad must not appear again in the form complained of.
"We told Calvin Klein Inc. to ensure that future ads did not irresponsibly objectify women and were targeted appropriately.”
The ruling came despite the ASA's determination that two similar adverts featuring Kendall Jenner were not offensive.
In Jenner's images, the model could be seen wearing jeans while covering her bare chest with her hands, and pulling a pair of jeans down to reveal the underwear underneath.
When it came to the Jenner posters, the ASA said the images 'did not focus on the model’s body more generally in a manner that portrayed her as a sexual object'.
The body also ruled that the underwear featured in one of Jenner's posters was in keeping with what people would expect for a lingerie advertisement.
In response to the complaints, Calvin Klein said: "The images were not vulgar and were of two confident and empowered women who had chosen to identify with the Calvin Klein brand, and the ads contained a progressive and enlightened message.”
UNILAD has contacted Calvin Klein for comment.
Emily Brown