In an industry where ‘thinness above all’ is the norm, French MPs have moved to ban dangerously thin models from the catwalk. Agencies defying the ban will face a fine of £55,000 and face up to six months in prison.
France’s National Assembly voted earlier this month on the ban in an effort to combat anorexia.
Another measure in the bill takes a strong stand against websites that encourage people to seek excessive thinness by restricting eating for prolonged periods, resulting in mortality or serious damage to health.
The bill also makes it mandatory for photo-shopped images to be labelled to indicate they’ve been touched up.
With France leading the way in Europe, industry experts hope the rest of the fashion world will follow suit.
In a country with 40,000 registered cases of anorexia, French sociologists regard the ban as a preventive measure to combat the eating disorder, especially among adolescents and young women.
However, the French fashion industry is bristling alleging — the ban confuses anorexia and thinness.
Under World Health Organisation guidelines, an adult with a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, 18 is malnourished, and 17 severely malnourished.
The average model measuring 1.75m (5ft 9in) and weighing 50 kg (7st 12lb) has a BMI of 16. Under the new French law models must have a minimum BMI of 18.
The Indian fashion industry does not have any such stipulation in place. However, that isn’t to say it is without its share of problems.
Bengaluru-based fashion choreographer, Prasad Bidapa says, “Eating disorders aren’t really a concern in the Indian fashion industry, simply because it isn’t prevalent. It seems anorexia is a problem of the western world. Our models are comparatively healthy. But, of course, colour bias is a major concern here.”
Both on the ramp and in print and TV ad campaigns, Indian models have many times lost out to their European counterparts, who are preferred for their pale and fair skin colour.
Bidapa attributes this to clients and agencies having a colonial hangover. “Dark skin is perceived as unattractive and clients often specifically request for fair models.
Many of us have had to make a sincere effort to promote dark-skinned models and with many of the dusky ones becoming super models, it seems the tide is turning,” says he.
Earlier this year at the Lakme Fashion Week, Nigerian model, Ugochi Latoya Igwilo, was a surprise factor. The model with her slender frame and dazzling height is stunning and seems to have truly arrived after modelling for Sabyasachi’s show at the fashion week.
“The fashion industry is trying to be more inclusive,” comments Bidapa. “But we haven’t seen models with disabilities take to the ramp in mainstream shows.”
Bidapa is alluding to this year’s New York Fashion Week, where models on wheelchairs, a male amputee and a model with Down’s Syndrome took to the ramp for FTL Moda’s AW15 collection, titled FTL Moda Loving You.
In a press release, Jack Eyers told Carters News, “To be the first male amputee model on a New York Fashion Week runway feels amazing. It feels like such a big deal. I just want to show that having a disability doesn’t need to hold you back.”
Shaking up the airbrush-perfect standards of the fashion industry is 20-year-old, Canadian model Winnie Harlow.
Harlow, who has the rare skin condition, vitiligo, entered the fashion world with America’s Top Model. She didn’t bag the top prize, but has scored two international fashion campaigns and also appears in the new Diesel Spring/Summer 2015 campaign.
Harlow has emerged as an icon for others suffering from the skin condition is breaking down barriers in the fashion industry.
The inspirational model wrote on her social media page, “If God wanted me to be black, I’d be black. If he wanted me to be white, I’d be white. Instead, he wanted me to be both — an original.”
