Skinny models banned from top fashion show - News - Evening Standard
       

Skinny models banned from top fashion show

Real women will breathe a sigh of relief: waif-like models are being pushed off the catwalk. Spain's top fashion show is banning skinny women from taking part to promote a healthier image of the event.

However, it is unlikely to catch on. The organisers of London Fashion Week said they would not be introducing a similar rule.

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Calculate your BMI here

Organizers of Madrid Fashion week used a mathematical formula to calculate the models' body mass index - a measure of their weight in relation to their height. They found 30 percent of the women had a BMI under 18 and were too underweight to take part in the shows.

Esther Canadas, Spain's most well-known model does not qualify because she is said to have a BMI of only 14.

The decision was made as part of a voluntary agreement with the Madrid regional government. The Association of Fashion Designers of Spain. said in a statement it wanted models to project "an image of beauty and health" and shun a gaunt, emaciated look.

Ryan Brown, a director for the Elite modeling agency in New York City said it was "very unprecedented."

He welcomed the decision and said the fashion industry will certainly take note, although the rejection of thinness would have more impact if it had happened in a bigger fashion venue like Paris or Milan.

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