Skinny Models in London

Posted by Lori Henry Sep 20, 2006

The Pasarela Cibeles trade fair in Madrid (see the original blog post here) has actually banned models under a certain body mass or height weight ratio from strutting their stuff down the runways.

Now the organizers of London's Fashion Week are being encouraged to do the same. Britan's Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, is one of the many politicians who support such a ban in London. She said, "We shouldn't for one moment underestimate the power of fashion in shaping the attitude of young girls and their feelings about themselves."

But they're not budging. The head of Marks & Spencer, Stuart Rose, one of the main backers of London Fashion Week, has decided that it's up to the designers to decide the type of models they want to use.

"I am very wary of knee-jerk reactions. There is a debate, of course, just as there is at the moment about obesity, but the designers are not uncaring and we have to leave it to their own common sense. Nobody would want to use a model who was unhealthy. I would say there has been a bit of a over-reaction."

Meanwhile, the Vice-Councilwoman for the Economy of Madrid's regional government, Concha Guerra, has said, "Our intention is to promote good body image by using models whose bodies match reality and reflect healthy eating habits," setting the stage for other leaders to speak up.

The director of the Spain show, Pérez Pita, has now said he was glad to follow the new rule, "We've always tried to convey an image of health and beauty in our shows, and we wanted to contribute, if only a tiny bit, to re-shaping the image the girls focus on when they try to lose weight."

This means an estimated 30% of the 50 models that participated in last year's show will not be hired this week. Sergio Guiu, agent at one of the agencies who books his models for this show, says, "No one likes something that makes it more difficult to get work. And being tall and thin-boned doesn't mean you're sick."

The show organizers know that a BMI of 18.5 is "underweight," but they leave a little wiggle room for the naturally thin. And although the fashion shows in Paris and New York have showed no sign of following the lead, government officials are still confident that the decision will have appositive outcome.

Says Pérez Pita, "The problem isn't just with fashion shows, but if we can make sure the catwalks don't transmit an unhealthy image, then we've helped."

For more coverage, click here.