ASOS Stops Airbrushing Swimwear Models Stretch Marks

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Three cheers for ASOS! The company has begun showcasing some of its models' stretch marks on its website instead of airbrushing them out, as is the norm in the industry, and the images are truly a breath of fresh air.

Several pictures on the site show women modelling swimwear with stretch marks clearly visible on their bums, in a move that many on social media have praised as "beautiful" and "powerful".

The change first came to light following a tweet by user Amy Rowlands, who shared an image of a model with visible stretch marks wearing a Pull&Bear bikini. "So impressed with @Asos for not airbrushing the model's stretchmarks. She looks amazing!" she wrote.

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So impressed with @Asos for not airbrushing the models stretchmarks???? She looks amazing! pic.twitter.com/OKEZinpjKe
— Amy? (@amyrowlandsx) June 28, 2017

The tweet has racked up nearly 46,000 retweets and more than 150,000 likes at the time of writing – and many others, particularly women, have hailed the move as game-changing. Twitter user Leah Tudor said the images were "giving [her] so much life".

Asos not editing out girl's stretch marks on their swimwear photos is giving me so much life, look how beautiful they all are? pic.twitter.com/VxMjc4OQg6
— Leah Tudor (@leahtudorx) June 28, 2017

Some – ok, let's be real – many people quoted that Kendrick Lamar lyric...

Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks ?? pic.twitter.com/OteXH4Gur5
— SHE IN THE KNOW (@Sheintheknow) June 29, 2017

" Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks," Kendrick, @Asos are making your dreams a reality boii, they look so beaut ? pic.twitter.com/U4CTi7NU61
— Savannah Stewart[PB] (@savannah_deyes) June 29, 2017

While others just seemed generally delighted and surprised that such a huge company would be brave enough to go against the industry standard.

Yesssss a step in the right direction! https://t.co/P1tsIu9xK3 hurray for @ASOS
— Paloma Faith (@Palomafaith) June 30, 2017

It matters because it gives girls body image problems, they're led to believe stretch marks are ugly & unnatural when they aren't.
— ♔ (@chandeIures) June 29, 2017

I'm clapping my hands. Finally no Photoshop.I never seen stretch marks on bikini's model ❤️ thanks, models are one of us
— Teresa_Granara❤ (@TeresaGranara) June 30, 2017

However, the praise wasn't universal – some suggested the company should never have been in the business of airbrushing stretch marks in the first place, and others pointed out that the models are still extremely slim.

I see what you did there @asos but also; they're still really skinny/slim https://t.co/viq20GHADz
— Eve Simmons (@EveSimmns) June 29, 2017

But ASOS' defenders said the un-airbrushed images help to make the case that nobody's perfect – slim or not.

Still goes to show that stretch marks are so natural, even on a smaller frame. EVERYONE HAS THEM EVEN MODELS. I think its wonderful.
— Red Zeppelin (@Emilia_bean) June 29, 2017

I think showing that even thin women have stretch marks is very powerful. Shows that thin doesn't equal perfect.
— ? Michelle T ? (@Michelle_T_WW) June 29, 2017

Which fashion retailer will be next, we wonder? And who will be the first to take the even more refreshing – and impressive – step of showing full-on cellulite?