A clothing store in Stillwater, Oklahoma is rightly facing backlash after removing an image of one of their store employees from their Instagram account.
Sherene Zarrabi had been working in Dainty Hooligan and had been modeling the stores clothes on Instagram since October 2015.
In an email forwarded to Sherene, CEO and founder of the store Jessica Issler wrote:
“Something I want to make sure you keep in mind. I want size small, the stereotypical ‘model’ 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 expectations of presenting our brand. Don’t take it personal. All I ask is for really good representation of the brand. In exchange for the freedom, I ask you to take down all pictures of anyone that doesn’t fit the criteria.”
Sherene responded by posting the email to her Facebook page saying:
“I just want to start by saying this: I am fully comfortable with who I am and the way I look. I have recently been attacked and discriminated against by the owner of Dainty Hooligan. She went on our stores Instagram and deleted all of the pictures where I was modeling the clothing and then sent this email to my manager.
I do not want to represent or support a business that has such archaic values and beliefs. THIS is the reason young girls have body image issues. This is disgusting. I quit immediately and I suggest that my friends and family do not support Dainty Hooligan”.
“After I saw the email, I was instantly furious,” she said to Refinery29.
“I feel like it not only offends me, but it offends her customers who aren’t a ‘size small.’ The way I see it, if she wants to have solely ‘size small’ models, she should sell only size-small clothing.”
Issler responded to the email with no remorse.
“I am accountable for the email that was sent,” she told Ocolly.com. “I never meant to be mean or attacking, but I’m not apologizing for the unsaid fashion rule.”
Cover via Facebook.
