Stillwater Boutique Owner Apologizes For Comments On Sizes Of Models

The CEO of a Stillwater clothing boutique has apologized to an ex-employee after deleting the woman's photos from Instagram and requesting only “size small models” represent the company.

Sherene Zarrabi says photos of her were deleted from the Dainty Hooligan's Instagram page. She shared three of them on social media after seeing an email the CEO sent to the manager.

“I want size small, the stereotypical ‘model’ type to model our clothes… Don’t take it personal, all I ask for is really good representation,” the email from owner Jessica Issler said.

After seeing the email, Zarrabi quit her job.

“Their values are outdated and they’re disgusting, and if that’s how they’re going to be I want nothing to do with their company," she said.

The store owner, Jessica Issler, couldn’t be reached by News On 6 for comment on Tuesday, but she told the Oklahoma State University student newspaper that she didn’t regret her stance or the email and that Zarrabi shouldn’t take things so personally.

“I never meant to be mean or attacking, but I’m not apologizing for the unsaid fashion rule,” the O’Colly said Issler told them in a phone interview.

Issler also reportedly told the O'Colly her store should not be affected financially by her comments.

“I think the typical standard customer knows what we’re about and knows this topic is irrelevant,” Issler reportedly told the O'Colly. “I meant absolutely no hate towards [Zarrabi]. She’s not mentally healthy.”

The additional comments fueled an already hot social media firestorm with thousands of shares and women threatening to boycott the company.

2/3/2016 Related Story: Company Requests 'Size Small Models,' Deletes OSU Student's Pictures

On Wednesday, Zarrabi said Issler reached out and extended an apology.

In it, Issler wrote: “After 24 hours of digesting my email that I clearly didn’t think twice about before I pressed the send button, I have an honest apology & fair observation.”

The owner told Zarrabi she could understand where feelings were hurt.

“If I put myself in my own shoes I’m thinking ‘this is nonsense, hypersensitive and taken way out of context’ BUT if I put myself in your shoes I’m thinking ‘wow, this sucks. I’m hurt, what the heck! Not cool!’ And so for that reason I am truly apologetic," Issler wrote.

Zarrabi said she appreciates the apology but it doesn’t change what was originally said. She will not to shop there again.

Once the story became public, there were reports that other employees and models on the Dainty Hooligan’s Instagram were receiving threats.

Zarrabi addressed that saying, “If you are one of the people harassing the girls who work in the Stillwater Dainty Hooligan, stop. They had nothing to do with this situation… don’t take it out on those poor girls.”

Issler, who is based in California, also has Dainty Hooligan boutiques in Norman and Tulsa.