Digitally-altered model fired for being 'too large'

A former Ralph Lauren model photographed for an advertisement image that was digitally altered and roundly criticised says she was fired because she was "too large."

Filippa Hamilton told NBC's Today show yesterday that she was hurt when Polo Ralph Lauren let her go in April after telling her that she did not "meet the obligations under her contract."

The terms are confidential.

The company says the model's digitally altered image was displayed by mistake last week in Japan.

The photo depicts a freakishly skinny and out-of-proportion Hamilton.

Hamilton says she's going public because she doesn't want young women to think it's normal to look emaciated.

She says she's 1.78m, weighs 54kg and wears a size 4.