body image

Looks like high end retail store, Barneys New York is giving a whole new meaning to the term “Skinny Minnie” with their newly announced campaign with Disney- leaving many women … well, not happy.

Set to launch November 14th,  the campaign will feature a short film in which Minnie fantasizes about being a model in a Paris Fashion show – and with that, Disney characters will hit the runway in high-fashion.

The high- fashion though is not the issue though. It is the extreme transformation of our favorite characters. Take a look at Minnie and Daisy’s new 5’11”, size zero cat-walk frame.

In addition to Minnie and Daisy, other transformed characters that will be revealed in high end fashion will be: Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Cruella de Vil, Princess Tiana and Snow White.

According to Barneys’ creative director Dennis Freedman, the decision for the shocking transformation was made because “the standard Minnie Mouse will not look so good in a Lanvin dress”.

Maybe its me, but I am not so sure she looks good in a Lavin dress now either.

I struggled with body image as a child, and admittedly it manifested into a warped self image as an adult. I wish that weren’t the case, its unhealthy and I know that. I try extra hard not to pass this way of thinking on to my children, especially my daughter. Suppressing your horrible feelings about your own self image to help your kids have a healthier one is not easy. Images on tv and in magazines can  make it even more challenging.

I have to question the terrible message this campaign will send to our kids– even if it wasn’t necessarily intended for their eyes. Why is Minnie dreaming of being a size zero?

There is currently a  petition on Change.org you can sign have this campaign pulled before it reaches the impressionable eyes of our mini fashionistas.

Petition creator, Ragen Chastain has said she has started the petition because she feels

“There is nothing wrong with tall, thin women. There is something wrong with changing a beloved children’s character’s body so that it looks good in a dress that almost nobody looks good in.”

What are your thoughts about these Disney makeovers?