Ad ban over ‘unhealthily thin’ model

An Yves Saint Laurent advert has been banned for featuring a model with a visible rib cage and knees and thighs of a similar width.

The ad, which appeared in Elle UK magazine, featured a black and white photograph of a woman described by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) as “unhealthily underweight”, wearing a short black dress and high heels and lying on the floor with her eyes closed.

A reader complained that the ad was irresponsible for using a model who appeared to be unhealthily thin.