Fashionably Informed: Tanning Promotion in the Media
Welcome to College Fashion’s new biweekly column, Fashionably Informed. As a CF reader, it’s clear that you love fashion. But have you ever wondered about the drama that goes on behind the scenes? To keep you up to speed, this column aims to inform you about important issues and controversies in the fashion industry.
(In case you missed it, see the first post on retouching and Photoshopping.)
Over the last few months, tanning has been a hot topic in the news. It seems as if every news outlet, from Good Morning America to MSNBC, has reported on the dangers of tanning at least once. We continuely hear about the health risks involved with laying out in the sun or using a tanning bed, and now we’re even hearing about the dangers of spray tanning.
Although many women covet that ultra-bronzed look, for most, the health risks required to achieve it are overwhelming. Despite the dangers of tanning, the fashion industry and media seem to be pressuring consumers to achieve that golden hue, no matter the price.
My Personal Experience with Tanning
I know the risks of tanning first-hand. For the past three summers, I have worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor at my city’s local pool. My job requires me to spend 5-8 hours daily in direct sunlight. So much time in the sun has left my skin very tan… even though I cover myself in sunblock. Even in the dead of winter, my tan lines are still very visible.
The amount of sun I’m exposed to requires me to be very careful. I always make sure to apply sunscreen every two hours, wear a hat, and use a rash guard. But, there is only so much I can do to prevent sun damage and disease. I have to be extremely cautious about any new mole or sunspot that pops up on my skin, and I will have to remain vigilant for the rest of my life. I know that this summer job has greatly increased my chances of getting skin cancer. Teaching children how to swim and keeping others safe is incredibly rewarding… but I know that it comes at a price.
Given my personal experience with the risks of tanning and sun exposure, I find it incredibly difficult to understand why some retailers and magazines are promoting an overly tanned image.
The Controversy
H&M’s controversial Summer 2012 swimwear ad | Photo Credit
With tanning being such a hot topic in the news, it is no suprise that numerous news sites and blogs went wild when H&M introduced their Summer 2012 swimwear advertising campaign. This campaign included the expected summer ad cliches: sunshine, a beautiful turquoise ocean, and a thin model sporting a bright bikini. However, this ad included something extra… an extreme tan.
The deep brown color of Isabeli Fontana’s skin caused many to accuse the “fast-fashion” retailer of promoting unhealthy behavior. As The Daily Mail and Jezebel pointed out, Fontana’s natural skin tone is much lighter than the one she’s sporting in the photo (see below), which has lead some to wonder how her dark complexion was achieved. Whether it was created by spray tan, tanning bed, Photoshop (my money is on this one), or lying out in the sun for weeks on end, it is hard to deny that Fontana’s skintone is unnatural. The problem is that for those of us without Photoshop, getting a deep tan similar to this one can only be done using extremely risky means.
Isabeli Fontana’s natural skin color (right) compared with her H&M ad | Photo Credit
According to Daily Mail, the major concern in this controversy is the potential for women to try to mimic Fontana’s tan. Dr. Ralph Braun stated,
“Many people, especially the young, will try to emulate this and will try to be just as brown, although with some skin types this is just not possible.”
Sadly, Dr. Braun is right. Despite being informed about the dangers of tanning, many girls and young women are still choosing to tan. H&M is not helping by using images that promote unhealthy tanning behaviors.
The Aftermath
Due to the outraged response from consumers, H&M issued a public apology. According to The Daily Star, the apology stated,
“We are sorry if we have upset anyone with our latest swimwear campaign. It was not our intention to show off a specific ideal or to encourage dangerous behavior, but was instead to show off our latest summer collection. We have taken note of the views and will continue to discuss this internally ahead of future campaigns.”
Although it is great that H&M has apologized and recognized their influence on consumers, some have questioned their reasoning for showcasing the summer collection in this way. Jezebel writer, Jenna Sauers made an important observation, writing,
“Note to H&M: if you like the way your swimsuit colors ‘pop’ against darker skin tones, these days they have models who naturally have those skin tones. At nearly all of the major agencies! Maybe hire them?”
Sauers’s ”note to H&M” makes an important point. Although Fontana is Brazilian, her skintone is much lighter than those of many other Latina models. H&M’s choice to darken Fontana is particularly upsetting because models with naturally darker complexions are often ignored in the fashion world.
In this case, H&M could have easily avoided the controversy by hiring a naturally darker model, perhaps a Hispanic or African American woman whose skin tone would make the bright swimsuits “pop” just as well as a fake tanned model without promoting dangerous habits.
Overall, this controversy reminds us of an important principle of body-positive, honest advertising and reporting: the natural skin tone of every person should be appreciated and left untouched, whether it be ivory, beige, olive, or ebony… but that’s another issue for another post.
What do you think?
Do you think H&M’s campaign has a dangerous effect on women? What is your opinion on tanning and the media’s treatment of it? How do you protect yourself from the sun? Tell us your thoughts by leaving a comment.
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Posted on on July 19, 2012 / Filed Under: Fashion News / Tags: Advertisements, Controversy, Fashionably Informed, H&M, Health, Swimwear, Tanning
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Comment Rules: CF is a positive place and our comments section is no different. Constructive criticism is fine, but if you're rude, we'll delete your comment. Please use your PERSONAL name or initials and not your business name and do not put your website in the comment text, as both come off like spam. For more info, see our 
Taylor
Great post! I’d love for you to cover vanity sizing sometime.
Taylor
Also, the issue of fur in the fashion industry is a good idea.
Amy
H&M said that they chose a dark model for this. She could have tanned on her own to get the position. I don’t think it’s entirely H&M’s fault nor were they promoting the image. What makes me more sad is how people could be easily influenced. I think it would be better to have people more educated about the consequences of tanning.
dottie
Gender issues as a possible topic? Like how men’s graphic tees tend to be more unisex with cultural icons (movies, cds, video games) whereas women’s graphic tees are more often form fitted with images that promote the sexualization of women as objects for men’s gratification. Or how most women’s clothing is fitted to accentuate her shape in a “sexy” way rather than for comfort. How this affects even slightly overweight (like, ten pounds) women from feeling comfortable going shopping because so much clothing is clingy. Eating disorders?
Phidias
I like this article. I also like your point asking why they didn’t choose a model with naturally dark skin in the first place.
Personally, as a woman of colour, I liked seeing the darker skinned models in H&M ads because they made me feel like my skin tone was being catered to. But I guess now I can see the flaws with H&M’s choice of models for these ads.
However, I think you should consider that some skin types can go from very light to very dark quite quickly. Many lighter skinned Indians and Malaysians in western countries who spend time in warmer climates turn very dark very fast. Do you think this could have been the case with Isabelli Fontana’s skin as well? I think maybe considering that this might be the case rather than “dangerous tanning practices” could also explain her drastically different skin tone.
This goes the same for myself. I am Indian, but I have very pale skin (almost white) because I live in Canada where it is normally quite cold for most of the year. I went to vacation to Cuba for 6 days and my skin drastically turned to the colour of darkly stained wood. I didn’t spend any of the time tanning, and I also frequently applied sunscreen. If the same thing could happen to me and also to other Malaysian friends I have spoken to, then maybe the same thing happened to Fontana’s skin.
Maybe that is her natural colour (seeing as she is Latina), but she has been trying to keep her skin light for a long time due to her career.
Rachel
Unfortunate choice H&M, the ultra tan is causing negative press and (in my opinion) Isabelli Fontana looks much better with her natural colour! I don’t think this ad would have an effect on me, I look at ads only for the clothes displayed not the depth of the model’s tan
Jenny
I have practically snow white skin, which is definitely looked down upon. People constantly suggest that I get a spray tan, use bronzer and even dye my hair a lighter colour to make me look less pale.
If you’ve already got dark skin or tan your skin because you simply like how it looks on you, then great, but don’t get tanned just because it’s “in” right now.
Rin
Wow, I didn’t even realize that the two side-by-side ads were the same model. My first reaction to the H&M swimsuit ad is how fake her tan looks! Natural tans tend to look, well, natural. And this tan doesn’t. It makes me a little angry that people don’t want to blame H&M. I definitely think they are perpetuating the “tan is beautiful” message, which can lead to dangerous habits. I don’t think H&M is directly saying “Girls need to tan!” but they are contributing to an overall societal norm. Even if they did it to make the swim suit pop, the message they are sending is that you must be tan to look good in our bathing suit. Obviously, teaching people about the dangers of tanning isn’t enough; its been going on for years, and girls (and guys) are still tanning.
As a naturally pale girl who literally cannot tan, I know the tremendous pressure to achieve a fake tan (my own family!). But I’d rather not have skin cancer, so I’m doing my best to own my Snow White complexion, while slathering on the sunscreen.
Sam
If they wanted someone that tan why not have an African American model pose for their swim ad? It’s not that hard…
Joanne
I can’t stand that tanned skin is considered the ideal skin tone. It makes girls like me, with more pale skin, feel inferior. I used to develop a deep tan every summer, but since I got my summer job, I’m “stuck” with my normal skin tone. Now, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my skin tone, other than that it makes my under-eye circles seem darker than they usually are. But there are times when I feel like I’m not good enough; I’m not tan enough to be considered pretty. Modeling companies should use models of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Short girls, tall girls, pale girls, dark girls, 00-plus size. This tanning fad is ridiculous.
Jenna
While I think the skin color in the ad is pushed to the extreme, I do understand the choice of having Fontana’s skin darker than the other picture. The tanned skin gives the idea that she has been spending lots of time in the sun, on the beach, it gives the idea of a vacation, something that in itself is enticing. And perhaps that is why they didn’t choose someone with a naturally darker tone. If your ethnicity is already dark skinned, the sun-kissed affect may be not as strong or lost completely.
I am not trying to back up the choices made for the ad, I’m just trying to make sense of why H&M may have made these decisions. I personally always feel concern for my friends who like to tan a lot to reach a certain tonal ideal. I have naturally pale skin and embrace it rather than risking all that damage. For me it’s just not worth it.
While I think it’s right to feel concern that the fashion industry can create such high and often realistic standards like this one, I am most interested in making sure consumers know how unrealistic such standards are and the high risks involved in trying to reach such ideals.
Also, side note, did anyone else notice how much fuller her boobs are in the H&M ad? Hello, photoshop.
Jenna
I’m sorry, in the previous comment, third paragraph, I meant unrealistic not realistic standards. Whoops.
Alex
@Jenny, completely understand, all kinds of people think its alright to make fun of my pale skin or tell me to “get a tan” even though its dangerous.
Jenny in Jacquard
It’s always interesting to compare the “ideal” image and how it varies from culture to culture. In Asian cultures, fair skin is preferred (my mom use to chastise me for being too tan when I don’t even ever lay out!), while in the US it’s all about being bronze. I wonder how that came to be?
Christy
Never understood why girls want to be tan so badly. I’m not conceited but I’ve been told I’m beautiful before and I’m one of the palest people I know. I have no desire to darken my skin.
S
I’d imagine with her ethnic background it’s pretty easy to get a dark tan in a matter of minutes. Personally, being mixed caucasian and asian, I find I can tan several shades darker over the course of a week just going from my car to restaurants and stuff. I get a tan even indoors if there’s natural lightning.
The photo comparisons used to show her “natural coloring” is a heavily washed out photo. Like just google her name and you can see that isn’t a good representation of her usual coloring. She’s naturally medium toned.
Honestly, people need to get over the skin color difference and be happy with their own coloring. Some people tan easily–and many, especially throughout Asia, actually strive to be paler because they tan too easily. People are of different backgrounds and ethnicities and they’re going to be different colors.
Grace
I might be in the minority here, but I am blonde, with green eyes and incredibly pale skin, and NOBODY has ever told me that I would look better with a tan. I apply sunblock religiously all year long, because I can (and will!) burn no matter the season. I believe that natural, healthy skin is the most beautiful skin a girl (or guy) can have, and no advertising is going to make me feel differently. I do agree however, that the color of the model’s skin tone in this advertisement is gross, and that H&M would have done better to leave her coloring alone. Bright colors can pop against light skin, too!
Authriya
I would like to point out another extreme that I have observed in my own culture-
I live in India, and here dark skin is not considered desirable- to the extent that there are creams promising to make you fairer. The ads all feature women who glow with a white radiance and their skin is, I’m not even kidding here, WHITE. Just google Indian fairness ads and you’ll know what I mean.
The worst are ads by Vivel and Fair and Lovely- no I did not make the last one up. It’s ridiculous, how they portray fair women- they are the ones who get the jobs, they are the ones who get the men, they are the ones who play TENNIS better (I’m not even kidding.) and the darker skinned ones are shunned in real life.
The sad part, is that people are being influenced. Instead of rising up against these ads, they use the products. If someone is dark skinned they’ll call them “kaali” (it means black). The situation here, is much worse than you can imagine.
Roseveins
I’m Filippino and I live in Hawaii. Everyone here is tan, even people with fair skin end up leaving a little darker. I live in an environment similar to Authriya; fair people are practically worshipped, tanner people are just… there. A couple of my friends have dabbled with those whitening creams and let’s just say that the tropical sun keeps people dark.
I find the whole “tanning” thing really funny. In places where a lot of people can’t help but tan (Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam), people with fairer skin are held in a higher regard. But if I suddenly moved to Virginia or something, then I suddenly get a ton of compliments on my tan.
Society is weird. Seriously. I used to hate how dark my skin was because I would get teased that “no one could see me in the dark” until my parents told me that people pay a lot of money and put themselves at risk to get skin like mine. I feel very comfortable in my skin now and I really wouldn’t have it any other way.
julia
Personally I’ve never actually wanted to be tan; I’m naturally quitefair but with warmer undertones from my Mum’s Burmese side. Hell, I spend a fair amount of time making myself paler!
Lisa
The problem is, advertising tries to make you imagine YOU’RE the model in order to sell the product. So when targeting a mainly white demographic, they are going to go for a fair – skinned model with a tan even though a model of colour would have been a much better choice from a purely esthetic point of view. Now I don’t know what the demographic for that specific advert was, but I am convinced that in general this is the main reason for the absence of ethnic diversity in mass advertisement campaigns.
About tanning, it is interesting to note the difference between the American and the European/British attitude towards tanning. While burning is obviously a risk factor for skin cancer and you really should not stay in the sun for a long time without SPF, most people in Europe don’t perceive it as such a burning (no pun intended) issue or as an imminent danger. I mean, they put on sunscreen if they’re going to be outside in the summer, but there’s less of a fuss about it. I’m not saying either one of these attitudes is right or wrong, it’s just interesting to notice the difference.
Phidias
I Agree with S (comment # 16). S said what I was trying to say much more articulately. This happened with Aishwariya Rai and Beyonce in their L’Oreal commercials – their skin got lightened a large degree and no one really complained about that…
I remember seeing the Aishwariya Rai ad for L’Oreal and not recognizing her at all because she looked so pale (not her natural colour – she is Indian!) until I read her name printed in small print.
Even Freida Pinto has been lightened in makeup ads she’s in.
Why are we complaining so much more when the model gets darkened? I really dislike it when the model is drastically lightened as well. Perhaps we should even it out and complain to the fashion industry from both ends of the spectrum.
Phidias
Here is a comparison of the two Aishwarya Rai Pictures:
Lightened for L’Oreal:
http://mobilebollywoodspices.blogspot.ca/2010/07/aishwarya-and-kate-winslet-in-latest.html
Regular Skin colour:
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/aishwarya-rai/images/5998797/title/aishwarya-rai-wallpaper
You can see that she is MUCH lighter in the L’Oreal one. And this ad was marketed to western society! If we have such a problem with darker skin, then why are cosmetic companies lightening people in their ads?
Melissa
This is absolutely absurd. Maybe people need to stop being so easily influenced and let companies campaign as they see fit. First size, now this? What’s next getting upset because a woman’s hair is to overly colored and unhealthy for her hair and now all the little teenage girls are going to dye the crap out of theirs? What about the people that are naturally a size zero and are tan? You make them feel like outcasts. It’s time to stop judging woman by their apperances and focus whats on the inside. Who cares if you don’t look like the model in the picture!? Stop being vain and jealous, and start loving what God gave you.
Alex
I just don’t understand. If they want BROWN skin. Why don’t they just get a person of color?? Turn a fair skin person BROWN when there are people with natural brown skin. I think we all know why they do it, and it’s wrong.
Stephanie
I get looked down upon due to my fair skin, but I just tell people that for hundreds of years having a peaches and cream complexion meant that you were nobility (rather than of the working class). I like to think this fake tan phase is just a trend that will die in a few years.
Merrihel
Thank you for this column, I’m really enjoying it!
This is interesting because just yesterday, I’m not kidding, my mother asked me if I had noticed that flyers like Kohl’s and Target were using more medium brown African-American and Latina models for their summer wear and swimsuits. She wondered if it might be because Northern European-descent models are getting with the program and realizing what kind of terrible damage tanning is doing to their skin, and therefore cultivating their natural un-summer-y skin tones!
Jenna
@Melissa, I want to thank you for your comment. While I don’t agree completely with what you said, I particularly appreciated when you said “let companies campaign as they see fit.” With that, I agree wholeheartedly. I think making sure consumers are informed about what is real vs. what is seen in the media is more important than backlashing on the creative decisions companies have every right to make on their own.
Kimmie
I don’t understand how this is such a controversy………. maybe it’s because I have an awesome mother. She told me that you are who you are, nothing is gonna change that. My family is from SEA, where the ideal skin tone is fair only because fair/pale/white skin= rich, and we tan extremely easy. Its only when I came to the US that I heard the idea of bronze is beautiful lol. So my 10 year old self thought “Whatever happen to my skin is gonna happen, I just need to keep it healthy”…… man, I was such an opinionated girl back then. And I have a question for you people who doesn’t want to tan but your families/friends/other ppl pressuring you, why do you even listen to them? just tell them firmly once and for all that you don’t want to and it’s your body, you do what you want with it and it’s not their decision to make. I’m sorry if the question offend you in anyway, but I just don’t understand.
Keilla - Loyola Marymount University
Hey everyone! Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. Receiving feedback from all of you is my favorite part of posting new articles.
All your suggestions were wonderful and I look forward to covering all these topics in the future.
We can’t control the influence that campaigns and advertisements have on their audiences. I wish that young women could see these ads and simply not be influenced by them. However, we are often affected by what we see in magazines and advertisements. This evident in the number of young women battling eating disorders, depression, and other body image issues. Sadly, we can’t just say “Stop being influenced” or “Stop being insecure.” The issue is often greater than that. These companies aren’t helping by setting these unrealistic beauty standards (even the beautiful models need to be photoshopped). I wish that they could campaign any way they wanted but I think the companies need to recognize the power they have and use it responsibly.
To those of you who said that you have been told you need a tan or need to be lighter. I am sorry people are telling you that. The skin color you have is wonderful and don’t put your health at risk to change it. Thank you for sharing.
(@Authriya, I am going to be writing an article relating to Fair and Lovely products soon. Thanks for your suggest and perspective!)
Thanks everyone and keep the conversation going!
Cara
Thank you for this sentence, CF: “Overall, this controversy reminds us of an important principle of body-positive, honest advertising and reporting: the natural skin tone of every person should be appreciated and left untouched, whether it be ivory, beige, olive, or ebony.”
I’ve been saying that here for years. You’re not sickly, unhealthy, unnattractive, or inferior, no matter what your natural skin colour.
Casey
I live on a beach, and my parents grew up on a beach, slathering themselves in canola oil rather than sunscreen. They are both in their 60′s now, have very few wrinkles, and could pass for mid to late 40′s. I still tan despite what the media tells me because 1. I prefer the way I look with darker skin, I look healthier with sun-kissed skin, I was always tan as a kid. 2. I go to the beach daily to read and meditate and just have some alone time, Vitamin D is just a plus. 3. In the past few years I developed adult acne after having beautiful skin my whole life, so the salt water at the beach greatly reduces my acne and helps it to heal. I just don’t buy into the safety issues when my parents and their friends did the same thing in their youth and have had absolutely no issues. Unless the media is going to buy into the global warming idea as well, then the sudden “tanning is dangerous” BS just doesn’t add up. Why now? Because “recent studies show”? Other studies will just prove it wrong. Just live however you see fit and be happy.
marie
It’s funny, you pointed it out too, that it’s so popular to be tan, yet the industry never seems to hire people who are naturally darker skinned. Also, many photos with dark models are photoshopped to be lighter. It’s so contradictory. It’s like, if you want to show “beautiful sunskissed tan skin” or whatever, why not show it with someone who has it naturally and safely, rather than alter pictures of fair skinned models to look tanned?
merry
Some people just love to blame their low self-esteem on everybody else around. If they were satisfied with themselves no ad or anything else would take that away from them.
Molly Protter
I can see where you all are coming from when criticize their campaign. Bad model choice (i personally disagree), unhealthy speed skin darkening etc but in the end of the day isn’t this what we all want?
I live in China where women walk with umbrellas every time the sun is up to avoid darkening their skin and on a same time public pools and parks get madly busy on a sunny day (me included)
Following your logic we could also blame tooth whitening programs and products and their models because I truly doubt extra white is their natural colour!!
It all comes to a proper education in how to take care of yourself (skin, teeth, weight etc) so instead of tossing guilt around, bringing racism-related topics on the table , why don’t you provide a proper information of how can you get your skin dark for the summer, offer some nice products and info about how many hours you can spend on the sun without damaging your skin..
Peace
m
i think a lot of the skin color ideals are culturally based. being asian, as other people have mentioned, having fair skin is preferable, whereas in europe & the US, being tan is considered the ideal. my sister commented on this the last time we were in hong kong. she noticed that all of the beauty stores had whitening creams, but no tanners.
from what i understand, in asia, being fair is associated with wealth, since it implies that you have a nice job (think office with a/c) or don’t have to labor outside in the hot sun. so having dark skin is not preferable.
whereas in the west, being tan is associated with vacations & beaches, again, only something the wealthy/well-off can afford, since otherwise, you’d be too busy working indoors trying to make ends meet.
Mason
I think it’s funny that College Fashion has done an article on white-washing and now one on magazines making women’s skin darker. It just goes to show that everyone has a different standard of beauty. I think we should just ignore what the advertising industry says is beautiful. Who cares?
Emily
I don’t understand this obsession with bronze skin. I don’t think it looks good at all. It looks gross and unnatural on me. Then again, that’s just me, a Canadian of English and Irish decent.
m, your comment is interesting. Often, traits associated with affluence are considered beautiful. This is why in the past, heavier women were preferred over skinny ones; their girth suggested wealth. This ideal has changed, in part, I think, because it’s much less common for people to be starving in first world countries (which are the ones who perpetuate this “skinny is beautiful” myth). It’s much harder to stay thin now, and high calorie foods are usually cheaper than healthier ones.