When it comes to endorsing body diversity, fashion brands can't win. The latest example of this? Calvin Klein and its new Perfectly Fit underwear campaign.
The brand's advert starring 27-year-old model Myla Dalbesio has inadvertently caused controversy. Myla is a US size 10 (UK 14) and she recently addressed the topic of plus-size modelling in an interview with Elle magazine. Following this, a few wires got crossed and images of her posing in a bra sparked a social media outcry.
"Genuine WTF moment," "PLUS SIZE" and "How an earth she is classed as plus-size I don't know, her body is to-die-for," were just a few of the comments published.
Twitter is right. Myla isn't plus-sized, but she doesn't fall into the size zero category either - and that's the point.
As Vanessa Friedman, fashion critic for the New York Times, was quick to note, Calvin Klein never even used the words "plus size" when promoting pictures of Myla or their campaign. In fact, as a spokesman for the brand explained, casting an average-size model was meant to be a positive move.
"The Perfectly Fit line was created to celebrate and cater to the needs of different women, and these images are intended to communicate that our new line is more inclusive and available in several silhouettes in an extensive range of sizes," the representative stated.
It's Myla herself who sums up this size debate perfectly, though.
"It's kind of confusing because I'm a bigger girl," Myla said in her chat with Elle. "I'm not the biggest girl on the market but I'm definitely bigger than all the girls [Calvin Klein] has ever worked with, so that is really intimidating."
Whether it's a skinny-shaming issue or another Photoshopping scandal, it's all to easy to jump on the body image bandwagon and start attributing labels. Myla doesn't deserve the "plus size" stamp she's been given, but equally, Calvin Klein's campaign doesn't warrant the backlash its received for celebrating a beautiful, size 10 model.
Isn't it time the fashion industry followed Calvin Klein's lead and embraced women of all sizes?