--- description: An ad in Elle magazine was banned by UK's advertising watchdog for featuring a too-thin model. title: Yves Saint Laurent Ad Featuring 'Underweight' Model Is Banned image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Living](/tag/time-section-living/) ## Living Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Yves Saint Laurent Ad Featuring 'Underweight' Model Is Banned ## Video: Naomi Campbell: "Racist" Runways Need to End [Watch (HLS stream): Naomi Campbell: "Racist" Runways Need to End](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/X5dXp9wu.m3u8) (2:50)  _Published 2013-09-17. As part of the Diversity Coalition, Campbell speaks out about the lack of diversity on major designer runways_ by [Sam Frizell](/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 3, 2015 12:00 PM CUT by [Sam Frizell](/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 3, 2015 12:00 PM CUT The U.K.’s advertising authority has [banned](https://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2015/6/Yves-Saint-Laurent-SAS/SHP%5FADJ%5F292161.aspx#.VW7r%5FkgZJU9 "undefined") an Yves Saint Laurent ad for using a model who appears in the photo to be unhealthily thin. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint that the model looked too underweight in her ad in _Elle_ magazine, according to the[ authority’s website](https://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2015/6/Yves-Saint-Laurent-SAS/SHP%5FADJ%5F292161.aspx#.VW7r%5FkgZJU9 "undefined"). In its ruling, the ASA said the lighting effect in the ad drew attention to the model’s visible rib cage, and her legs, “where her thighs and knees appeared a similar width.” > [](https://twitter.com/PA/status/605960732115533824) Advertisers who use skinny models have come under fire for what critics say promotes unrealistic standards for women. Urban Outfitters and Drop Dead are two clothing outfitters that have been forced to remove promotional photos of skinny models, [_The Guardian_ reported](http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jun/03/yves-saint-laurent-ad-ban-underweight-model "undefined"). Yves Saint Laurent and _Elle_ declined to comment to _The Guardian._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3906859/yves-saint-laurent-ad-underweight-model/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3906859/yves-saint-laurent-ad-underweight-model/"},"headline":"Yves Saint Laurent Ad Featuring 'Underweight' Model Is Banned","datePublished":"2015-06-03T12:00:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:57:05.356Z","description":"Ads that use skinny models are coming under fire","url":"https://time.com/3906859/yves-saint-laurent-ad-underweight-model/","keywords":["Living","fashion"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Frizell","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3906859/yves-saint-laurent-ad-underweight-model/","name":"Yves Saint Laurent Ad Featuring 'Underweight' Model Is Banned"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Naomi Campbell: \"Racist\" Runways Need to End","description":"As part of the Diversity Coalition, Campbell speaks out about the lack of diversity on major designer runways","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/X5dXp9wu/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2013-09-17T18:23:00.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/X5dXp9wu.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3906859/yves-saint-laurent-ad-underweight-model/","duration":"PT2M50S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3906859/yves-saint-laurent-ad-underweight-model/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```