Bosses at trendy clothing firm American Apparel have been rapped for a 'too sexy ' advert showing a female model wearing a 'thong bodysuit ' . The firm , which has more than 270 stores across the world , regularly has its raunchy ads banned by the Advertising Standards Authority ( ASA ) . In 2012 the firm had a string of ads banned in four different rulings after using photos of women exposing their breasts , showing off their bare bums and posing with their legs spread in its ad campaigns . This American Apparel advert featuring an underage-looking model has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority . And this week , the ASA again banned an advert showing a flame-haired model wearing a £30 spandex thong bodysuit covered with lipstick prints . One person had complained to the ASA saying they believed the model in question looked under the age of 16 and that it was 'irresponsible and offensive ' as it 'sexualised a model ' who appeared to be underage . Bosses at the ASA said that despite American Apparel saying the model was 20 years old , she looked 'youthful ' and that the ad was irresponsible . It stated : 'We considered the model had a youthful appearance and that some consumers were likely to regard her as being younger than 16 years of age . 'The model was shown looking back at the camera over her shoulder with her buttocks visible . The campaign featured more than one picture of the girl in the bodysuit to ' [ depict ] the thong from various angles ' 'We considered that readers were likely to interpret the model 's expression and pose as being sexual in nature . 'In conjunction with the youthful appearance of the model , we considered the ad could be seen to sexualise a child . 'We therefore concluded that the ad was irresponsible and was likely to cause serious offence . ' It added : 'The ad must not appear again in its current form . 'We told American Apparel ( UK ) Ltd to ensure future ads did not include images that inappropriately sexualised young women or were likely to cause serious offence . ' Bosses at the clothing firm said the the model was 20 and that the ad 'depicted the thong from various angles ' . This is n't the first time that American Apparel has been in trouble for their adverts . Last September , a campaign for the fashion brand American Apparel has been banned for ‘ sexualising school-age girls ’ . Photographs of its ‘ School Days ’ range included a young woman bending over in an ultra- short tartan skirt with her white underwear on display . In a scathing attack , the advertising watchdog labelled the campaign ‘ gratuitous ’ and ‘ sexist ’ . The Advertising Standards Authority ( ASA ) said ‘ the focus was on her buttocks and groin rather than on the skirt being modelled ’ . It also accused the firm of promoting seedy ‘ up-skirt ’ photographs – when unauthorised pictures are taken from beneath a woman ’ s skirt . The brand launched its Back-to-School range with the slogan , ‘ Your first assignment is to dress accordingly. ’ Last year , the fashion company got in trouble for this picture of a 'schoolgirl ' leaning over a car door . The campaign included pictures of a model bent over touching the ground , revealing her crotch and underwear , while another showed a woman bending over a red car in a thigh-skimming green tartan skirt and her buttocks on show . The ASA said : ‘ We considered the images were gratuitous and objectified women , and were therefore sexist and likely to cause serious and widespread offence . Last January , the brand stirred up controversy for decking out its mannequins with very visible patches of untamed pubic hair . A storefront at the retailer 's East Houston location in New York featured three mannequins clad in transparent white underwear , exposing their unkempt bikini lines .
American Apparel has been told off by the Advertising Standards Authority . ASA deemed advert featuring a young-looking model in a thong 'too sexy ' The ASA said it was concerned about an ad for American Apparel's underwear range which showed a young woman wearing nothing but her underwear.