Debenhams Explains Everything That Goes Into a Typical Photoshopped Image of a Swimsuit Model

U.K. department store Debenhams is selling swimwear with unretouched images of swimsuit models. The store’s windows display an unretouched shot of a model next to the same shot with typical retouching. Another image details the alterations that would have gone into the usual retouched swim campaign.

Photo: Courtesy of Debenhan’s

As you can see, quite a bit of work was done to make the image look “better.” This girl has no armpit, no eye bags, no skin folds, and no thighs. Yet judging by this example, Debenhams doesn’t seem like as egregious a retoucher as many other advertisers and media outlets. This model, not being as frail as so many are, didn’t need any protruding bones filled in and smoothed over. Debenham’s creative director Mark Woods said:

’As a responsible retailer we want to help customers make the most of their beauty without bombarding them with unattainable body images.

’Our campaign is all about making women feel good about themselves - not eroding their self belief and esteem by using false comparisons.

’Not only does it make sense from a moral point of view, it ticks the economic boxes as well. Millions of pounds a year are spent by organisations retouching perfectly good images.

’As a rule we only airbrush minor things like pigmentation or stray hair and rely on the natural beauty of models to make our product look great.

’We are proud to bring the issue of re-touching into the main stream when the likes of Britney Spears and Madonna are using unairbrushed but over-lit images as a shock tactic.’

This is a great move. It all goes to show the model didn’t need the retouching anyway! And she’s not the only one — that’s why they’re models, right?