Revolve accused of fat-shaming, LPA brand issues apology

Women's lifestyle brand Revolve sparked outrage on social media when a sweater reading, "Being Fat Isn’t Beautiful It’s An Excuse” appeared on its website, worn by a slim model.

The sweater was part of the LPA X Lena capsule collection, made in partnership with the head of Revolve subsidiary LPA, Pia Arrobio, and noteworthy women like Lena Dunham and Paloma Elsesser.

The product photo was discovered and re-posted by artist and activist Florence Given, setting off a flurry of angry comments on Twitter and Instagram directed at the brand.

"So.... @REVOLVE thinks its [sic] okay to market this sweatshirt — which only comes up to an XL, by the way — by putting it on a thin model?” tweeted Tyler McCall, deputy editor at Fashionista.

"LOLLLLL @REVOLVE y’all are a mess," tweeted Tess Holiday, the plus-sized model who recently appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan UK.

In a written statement made by Revolve, the brand said the collection - including another sweater which read "too boney to be boned" - was meant to be "a direct commentary on the modern day 'normality' of cyber-bullying."

Each sweater had an "as said to" attribution below the caption, in a noticeably smaller font size.

However, the brand explained that the collection was released prematurely without context, and that the controversial sweater was photographed on a model "who's size was not reflective of the piece’s commentary on body positivity."

Proceeds from the collection were set to be donated to “Girls Write Now”, a charity focused on providing writing workshops, programs and mentors to young women.

Pia Arrobio released her own statement on LPA's Instagram, writing "where we faltered was not intention, sincerity or conception, but in my own lack of communication that lead to how the collection was portrayed on Revolve.com."

Lena Dunham, a key collaborator and co-namesake of the collection, responded to the controversy by both acknowledging her contribution to the capsule and distancing herself from Revolve.

"For months I’ve been working on a collaboration with my friend Pia’s company LPA," Dunham wrote in an Instagram post. "Without consulting me or any of the women involved, @revolve presented the sweatshirts on thin white women...As a result, I cannot support this collaboration or lend my name to it in any way."

All pieces from the collection have since been taken down from Revolve's website.

Revolve accused of fat-shaming, LPA brand issues apology

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