News, Skinny Models Are Out In France As The Fashion Industry Fights Anorexia. (clothing, lip)

[John1960]

Paris, France (AHN) - The French fashion industry led fashion houses, advertising firms and media outlets signed on Wednesday a charter to fight anorexia among models in magazine advertisements and catwalks.

Skinny Models Are Out In France As The Fashion Industry Fights Anorexia | April 10, 2008 | AHN

[gizmo980]

Good! I'm glad the modeling industry is waking up, and taking action on this issue. Nothing wrong with being skinny or having skinny models, but we all know the majority of them aren't like that naturally - 5'11" and 110 lbs. is not healthy on most women, and the model "diet" often consists of cigarettes, cocaine/heroin, and water. I just don't understand why they can't represent a VARIETY of sizes, small and larger? Because even if the models are just naturally thin, seeing only super-skinny models gives young women a complex... thinking that's how every girl should look, and taking desperate measures to get that way (which is impossible for some bodies). Anyway, I hope this encourages people to stay healthy, and be comfortable with whatever size they naturally are.

P.S. Can we also apply these restrictions to actresses? It seems the "heroin-chic" look is no longer trendy (thank goodness!), but many of them still obviously have issues.

[sponger42]

Lip service only.

As someone close to the fashion industry, I can tell you that this is simply a PR campaign with no substance behind it. The industry will continue to use models who are underweight to design and market their clothing.

The basic reason is fairly simple; it is far easier to design for the smallest person's size and then scale up for larger frames. No designer picks a mid-or-large size and scales down, it doesn't make technical sense from a design perspective. The runway items you see are the one-of-a-kind prototype samples that are used as a template for the entire line. Most never even go into production to be scaled up, so you're going to continue to see the smallest possible models on the catwalk (and also being used behind-the-scenes as "fit models" for specing of each garments techpak.)

Taller models are preferred simply because the clothing looks better on tall women, especially pieces which show off the legs or are form-fitted. So, combine svelte for the prototyping and tall for the display and you get tall slender models at the lowest end of the body mass index spectrum.

I sincerely doubt that any anti-eating-disorder campaign is going to have any significant effect on the fashion industry standards.

[Cruikshl]

Originally Posted by sponger42

Lip service only.

As someone close to the fashion industry, I can tell you that this is simply a PR campaign with no substance behind it. The industry will continue to use models who are underweight to design and market their clothing.

The basic reason is fairly simple; it is far easier to design for the smallest person's size and then scale up for larger frames. No designer picks a mid-or-large size and scales down, it doesn't make technical sense from a design perspective. The runway items you see are the one-of-a-kind prototype samples that are used as a template for the entire line. Most never even go into production to be scaled up, so you're going to continue to see the smallest possible models on the catwalk (and also being used behind-the-scenes as "fit models" for specing of each garments techpak.)

Taller models are preferred simply because the clothing looks better on tall women, especially pieces which show off the legs or are form-fitted. So, combine svelte for the prototyping and tall for the display and you get tall slender models at the lowest end of the body mass index spectrum.

I sincerely doubt that any anti-eating-disorder campaign is going to have any significant effect on the fashion industry standards.

I'd personally rather see a 5'10'' size 10 model so we can imagine just alittle what it would look like on a average 5'5'' size12

[cb at sea]

Really!!! I'd love to see a bathing suit modeled by a woman with a bit of "love-handle" showing! That way, I'd know what it was going to look like on me!!!!!

[tulegirl]

real clothes for real people.... we can dream.

[itlchick]

I'm totally against having models that thin b/c of all of the societal problems it causes.

But I don't think we are going to see a normal-sized model anytime soon. It basically defeats the whole point. Fashion is about art and elitism. Having what only a very few can have. They don't want normal.

That's why when things get too popular - they fall out of fashion.

Anyway, it would be nice

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by itlchick

But I don't think we are going to see a normal-sized model anytime soon. It basically defeats the whole point. Fashion is about art and elitism. Having what only a very few can have. They don't want normal.

That's why when things get too popular - they fall out of fashion.

Originally Posted by sponger42

Lip service only.

As someone close to the fashion industry, I can tell you that this is simply a PR campaign with no substance behind it. The industry will continue to use models who are underweight to design and market their clothing.

The basic reason is fairly simple; it is far easier to design for the smallest person's size and then scale up for larger frames.

Taller models are preferred simply because the clothing looks better on tall women, especially pieces which show off the legs or are form-fitted. So, combine svelte for the prototyping and tall for the display and you get tall slender models at the lowest end of the body mass index spectrum.

I sincerely doubt that any anti-eating-disorder campaign is going to have any significant effect on the fashion industry standards.

I see and understand both of your points, especially the possible "window dressing" of the French fashion industry (no pun intended.)
But I wonder if the haute couture types, barring budget cuts of their own, might allow for a bit of new direction in this regard? Maybe the elite tastemakers, the avante garde, might consider a cutting edge decision: to use women with just a bit more meat on them?
Some actresses, such as Kate Winslet, seem to have excellent careers without starving themselves.
Super tall and anorexia-skinny was not *always* a must in modeling. Marilyn Monroe got her start as a model in the mid-1940's. She had a very nice figure, but was not skeletal, and her look was pretty much the norm for models and actresses of that era.

[sponger42]

This year, actually, the trend is for extremely skinny and underweight models. Draped and loose looks are coming back into style, so designers are looking for ultra-skinny models with less flesh and bonier boy-like frames to properly show off the draped fabric look.

[njkate]

Originally Posted by sponger42

This year, actually, the trend is for extremely skinny and underweight models. Draped and loose looks are coming back into style, so designers are looking for ultra-skinny models with less flesh and bonier boy-like frames to properly show off the draped fabric look.

Hmmm but yet the article says this is already taking place in Spain & Italy
You kind of have to weigh in like a jocky or boxer...all though still thin by NORMAL standards the minimum would be 123 lbs on a 5'7 frame

This article refers to models dying because of their to skinny self
anyone in the fashion world that demands super skinny models needs a good butt kicking