Consumer wants “normal” people more than ever
American Eagle Outfitters implemented a “no-Photoshop policy” in January. “Beauty marks, wrinkles, stretch marks or tattoos, we left everything”, American Eagle’s Jenny Altman said. “We don’t even brush hair for a photo shoot anymore. Everything has to be as natural as possible.”
The decision proved to be a real hit: Aerie lingerie sales grew 9 % in the second quarter in a declining market, compared to a 2 % drop in the same quarter last year.
There is an easy explanation for the success, experts say: when women see a perfect model, they are confronted with a negative self-image and insecurity, according to research from the British Warwick Business School. Such photographs even result in such feelings of jealousy that women more often refuse to buy the product instead of being lured towards it.
