With POLL! Skinny models banned from catwalk

[forfor]

MADRID, Spain (Reuters) -- The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other venues.

Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after protests that girls and young women were trying to copy their rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders.

Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.

But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and bulimia.

"I think its outrageous, I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer," said Gould, Elite's North America director, adding that the move could harm careers of naturally "gazelle-like" models.

Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia. It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy body images.

"Fashion is a mirror and many teenagers imitate what they see on the catwalk," said regional official Concha Guerra.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti, told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

Quality, not size
The Madrid show is using the body mass index or BMI -- based on weight and height -- to measure models. It has turned away 30 percent of women who took part in the previous event. Medics will be on hand at the September 18-22 show to check models.

"The restrictions could be quite a shock to the fashion world at the beginning, but I'm sure it's important as far as health is concerned," said Leonor Perez Pita, director of Madrid's show, also known as the Pasarela Cibeles.

A spokeswoman for the Association of Fashion Designers of Spain, which represents those at Madrid fashion week, said the group supported restrictions and its concern was the quality of collections, not the size of models.

Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed.

"If they don't go along with it the next step is to seek legislation, just like with tobacco," said Carmen Gonzalez of Spain's Association in Defense of Attention for Anorexia and Bulimia, which has campaigned for restrictions since the 1990s.

Do you agree with this ban? I slightly agree. 20+ women may at least have some sort of control over themselves but teenagers idolize these models. They want to be exactly what they are... I think its a good move, I hope the rest of the shows will follow it...

 

[FoBoT]

do heroin addicts even buy those type of clothes?

 

[j00fek]

i like some coushin fo my pushin

 

[chambersc]

i agree with spain's decision.

 

[mugs]

Is this a private entity that made the ban?

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: mugs
Is this a private entity that made the ban?

spain is a hair away from being a communist govt. so i am sure it is some govt. agencies that made the ban

 

[sinucus]

damn straight, it's about time they did something like this. Stupid teenage girls are way to impressionable to understand the health risks they are talking by being underweight, it's just as and sometimes more dangerous than being overweight. Besides, it just looks nasty to be that thin...

 

[DainBramaged]

Good decision.

 

[Forsythe]

Originally posted by: FoBoT

Originally posted by: mugs
Is this a private entity that made the ban?

spain is a hair away from being a communist govt. so i am sure it is some govt. agencies that made the ban

ahahahahaha.

Idiot...

 

[imported_Rat]

Yes, because they're unattractive.

 

[ArchCenturion]

Too skinny is gross. I prefer an lean, athletic look.

 

[Riverhound777]

I don't aggree. My reasoning being, how are they going to decide who is "too thin?" I know some are obvious, but not all. If you are 5'2 and weigh 95 pounds, are you too skinny? If not by weight, are they going to havea judge? I think this will cause more problems than it will fix.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: sinucus
damn straight, it's about time they did something like this. Stupid teenage girls are way to impressionable to understand the health risks they are talking by being underweight, it's just as and sometimes more dangerous than being overweight. Besides, it just looks nasty to be that thin...

Its not the designers' fault the kids/kids parents are too stupid.

 

[ArchCenturion]

If i had my way, every model would be Jessica Simpson, or Brooke Burke.

 

[Baked]

This one has naked pics.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: Riverhound777
I don't aggree. My reasoning being, how are they going to decide who is "too thin?" I know some are obvious, but not all. If you are 5'2 and weigh 95 pounds, are you too skinny? If not by weight, are they going to havea judge? I think this will cause more problems than it will fix.

They go by BMI. Somebody that is 5'2" and 95lb may have a good BMI.

 

[chambersc]

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: sinucus
damn straight, it's about time they did something like this. Stupid teenage girls are way to impressionable to understand the health risks they are talking by being underweight, it's just as and sometimes more dangerous than being overweight. Besides, it just looks nasty to be that thin...

Its not the designers' fault the kids/kids parents are too stupid.

Kids are inherently impressionable. Their parents have nothing to do with this and can only affect their kids so much.

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: chambersc

Originally posted by: Kelvrick

Originally posted by: sinucus
damn straight, it's about time they did something like this. Stupid teenage girls are way to impressionable to understand the health risks they are talking by being underweight, it's just as and sometimes more dangerous than being overweight. Besides, it just looks nasty to be that thin...

Its not the designers' fault the kids/kids parents are too stupid.

Kids are inherently impressionable. Their parents have nothing to do with this and can only affect their kids so much.

I'll be the first to try to stop people from blaming the parents, but common. Seeing the hot girls on the runway shouldn't make 15 year old girls want to go to the bathroom to puke. Maybe if they'd eat better an excercise, they'd look better, but I guess its easier to go to the toilet and stick a finger in your throat.

Maybe its different over in spain, but how many kids go and watch fashion shows anyway? Don't they read their "Spanish Teen" magazine and such? I think preventing these fashion models from doing their job is just a copout to show that they're trying to do something.

EDIT: I don't see why you guys are agreeing with letting the government telling private businesses who they can and cannot have modeling their clothes. Just because you don't like how they look doesn't mean you can stop other people from using/looking at them.

EDIT2: Just saw in the article that the regional government sponsors the show. Is it so different over there that sponsors can go and ban something? I figure they can say what they want, and if the show doesn't comply, they don't get sponsorship money.

 

[clamum]

I definitely agree... skinny ass chicks are nasty.