Ralph Lauren Again Caught Photoshopping Models

Granted, the latest touchup isn't nearly as hideous as this one from a couple of weeks ago. The photo above is what's purported to be the normal Valentina Zelyaeva and while she's clearly thin, why would anyone go to the trouble of making her look even thinner?

Here's the touched-up photo.

The first time around, they claimed it was an isolated incident.

Then the second image of a Ralph Lauren model digitally altered to appear impossibly skinny emerged.

The clothing company is once again facing an outraged internet backlash after the image, featuring model Valentina Zelyaeva, appeared in a shop in Sydney, Australia.

Oddly, it also appears in two different versions on the Ralph Lauren website - one which appears to show the model as she actually is, without being significantly digitally altered.

In the retouched version, however, her head appears to be roughly the same size as her waist. Her hand appears almost as wide as her thigh, and her shoulders are significantly wider than her hips.

In the original version, Ms Zelyaeva's pose wrinkles her sweater on her right side. In the digitally altered version some of the wrinkled material has been clumsily airbrushed out - and the wrinkles that are left gave viewers on PhotoshopDisaster.blogspot.com the impression of ribs poking out through the grey sweater.

Ralph Lauren has not yet commented on the image, but a response is expected this afternoon.

The bizarre image sparked outrage on the web, with commentators on PhotoshopDisasters.blogspot.com, where the image was posted, wondering 'why they don't just show their clothes on skeletons... or are those not skinny enough?'
Others were baffled at the idea that the image could be attractive, with some describing it as 'alien', 'astounding', and 'ugly'.

Coincidentally, here's a photo of the two models that have been Photoshopped posing together. They sure look fine to me.

Via Instapundit, here's a goof on the original Ralph Lauren Photoshop.