American Apparel Ads Banned in UK: Controversy over Models' "Vulnerable Poses" in Latest Website Campaign, ASA Slams Retailer

American Apparel ads are stirring up controversy once again!

Their latest website campaign features "voyeuristic" images of models in "vulnerable poses"  and therefore has reportedly been banned by the ASA in the UK, reports NY Daily News.

Recently, the brand posted six photos of a model in a bodysuit and thigh-high socks on a bed without her face shown, from the front showing her legs open or in a kneeling or reclining position, states Huffington Post UK. Another ad showed her wearing only a jumper while her bottom half appeared naked, reclining on a bed with her legs in the air.

Of a series of six images of one of the models, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said: "We considered the images were overtly sexual and that they demeaned women by emphasising the model's groin, buttocks and breasts and by not including her face."

The "controversial" US retailer has regularly broken advertising rules in the past, according to The Guardian, by using exploitative images of young women, and their latest advertisements for their clothing only "reinforce" their rebellious reputation.

The advertisement "watchdogs" allegedly received complaints and banned the campaign for "breaching the advertising code under harm and offence rules."

"We considered the ads were likely to cause serious offence to visitors to American Apparel's website," it said. "The ads must not appear again in their current form."

American Apparel UK said it "did [its] best to abide by the standards of the industry" - despite having ads banned three times in just over four months - "as well as creating authentic, honest and memorable images relevant to their customer base".

What do you think of the latest American Apparel advertisements? Too scandalous or is the ASA overreacting? Check out the photo above and the rest of the ads here.