Agent Provocateur window displays in House of Fraser

[Fairyflaps]

These 2 images are among several massive photos filling the window displays at our local House of Fraser store promoting Agent Provocateur. The windows face onto the towns main pedestrianised shopping street, so there is no avoiding them if you go into town.

Am I right in thinking these are not appropriate images for such a public space? Within the lingerie department in the store maybe, but not on the High Street.

Going into the store and talking to the manager has not been successful. She just said that decisions on window displays was made by their head office, and I would have to take it up with them. Their website says it may take several days for them to respond to an email, and I have not been able to find a phone number for their head office.

What do you think?
And any suggestions of how I can complain more effectively?

Aside from the taste issue (I agree they are rather full on and overtly sexualised for the high street), the way that cream bra is riding up at the back suggests that the model is in the wrong back size and badly needs a bra intervention.

Go back to the store and ask for contact details of the person to speak to in head office.

That is a bit much for a front window I agree

The first one looks like she's squeezing out a stubborn fart.

I think it’s a bit much, yes.

I love the bra intervention suggestion! Please do include that in your complaint... the HoF fitting staff need proper training.

Saw this in their Oxford St store windows yesterday. Made me carry on walking by. So tacky. Clearly talent, skill and good judgement are no longer a thing in retail management. The high street is a dismal, desperate and depressing place these days.

Aren't they already in financial trouble? I agree completely inappropriate.

Maybe worth tweeting if you have an account. They might respond quicker. Totally agree they are not appropriate

I don’t think it’s appropriate at all.

HOWEVER
A load of complaints and a controversy like ‘boring feminists are horrified by sexy window display’ is exactly what they want. They are doing it for the free press because Mike Astley is a weasel and this is exactly the games he plays.

I’m surprised it’s not worse to be honest.

I agree. I thought one of those models was nude when I saw the display from the bus the other day. Unless we can have a matching Cosmo style hunk of the week posing provocatively in tight whities then this display needs to come down. Do share the HoF head office details.

Tweet them @houseoffraser I just did 😬

Am I right in thinking these are not appropriate images for such a public space?

Yes, of course you are right.

Agree with Twitter suggestion to get a response.

You might find that starting a MN AIBU thread heloful to do this too. MN has huge female traffic.

Given the high street spending power of UK women- 70p in the pound spent isn’t it?
House of Fraser might want to know what quite a few UK women on MN think of this, especially those who might be taking small kids or their teenage girl children past such images.

Why should we be forced to explain rampaging sexism and objectification of women to our kids when we’re just going out into House of Fraser to get to new pair of school shoes or whatever?. Or just walking along the high street... House of Fraser are family department stores on the high street not adult only-spaces. FFS. This is way inappropriate in the way it is displayed and needs to be stopped.

Thanks for reassuring me that I'm not being unreasonable. Actually I know I'm not: but it's good to know I'm not alone.
I have tweeted - no response yet.
@Calvinsmam I suspect the same. A few people I know who work in retail are putting this down to Mike Ashley's influence, and him hoping for the controversy and press coverage. I really don't want to give him the satisfaction.

@FloralCup good idea. I will go back and be more forceful. Then when i get a phone number I can share it on twitter.

Not suitable at all for a front window

What the hell were they thinking wrapping what looks like liquorice round the mannequin

That cannot be comfortable

@Rufusthebewilderedreindeer that's not a mannequin. It's a massive blown-up window size photo of a woman looking like she's trussed up.

Think really carefully before you tweet him.

It is his game. He will play it. More publicity means he might make more sales, more people see the lingerie and think about HoF without him having to spend much on advertising.

I'd complain to the council that the window display is in, and to HoF via phone, and anyone else - but I'd be mindful about making it public. He's probably rubbing his hands waiting for the Daily Mail to pick up on it.

The second bra doesn't fit either, there's gaping at the top of the cups, so the lesson here appears to be "don't buy our bras, they're shit and won't fit you properly".

Mike Ashley is a terrible human being, one only has to look at how he treated Sports Direct workers. My suggestion for how to outwit him would be to focus on the "the women don't even look comfortable" angle. FWIW.

Goodness yes

To be honest i dont care if it was a mannequin

Its still a dreadful image

But yes...photo worse

Honestly - WHO stands in their skimpies peering at themselves in the mirror in THAT pose?

First pose looks like she's peering into the mirror looking for zits. Hands are presumably behind the back in an attempt not to pop one.

Men have awfully strange ideas about what's sexy.

Agent Provocateur have previously had ads banned for being degrading to women.
I am chuckling at the idea that thes items are not practical and don't look comfortable though, as if anyone would buy these items for practicality and comfort :)

A protest or going to the local papers is probably what Mike Ashley wants, so I don't want to do that.
I'll see if local traders associations or the council have any influence.