Calling for a Healthier Body Image in the Fashion Industry
Posted on December 20, 2006
Filed Under Fashion Design Miscellaneous, Fashion Week, Fashion Week News, Milan Fashion Week
There’s been much talk in the news lately about concerns over models being severely underweight and the measures being taken to create a healthier image for the fashion industry. In September, the organizers of Madrid’s Fashion Week instituted a ban on models with a BMI of less than 18. Now Italy has followed suit, banning models under the age of 16 and calling for a more “full-bodied” presence on the runways and catwalks.
Without meaning to beat an already dead horse, these initiatives are definitely a positive sign of a new awareness on the part of the fashion industry. Seeing as Milan is the fashion capital of the world, the message calling for a more positive and healthier image of models and the fashion industry in general will hopefully set the gears going. In other words, such a stance being taken by Milan could affect fashion industry centers such as Paris and New York.
People like Vogue editor Anna Wintour (amazingly) and Diane von Furstenberg are taking a stance on the issue and calling for industry leaders to engage in dialogue to reshape the image presented by underweight models. It’s important that those in the fashion industry recognize the impact and influence that fashion has on body image, especially for women and girls.
I only hope that all of this brings about positive change and will eventually lead to the day when models actually resemble you and me, thereby helping to shed the negative influence leading people to think they are overweight when they are actually healthy and have a natural body shape.
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what sources did you use for this article, I’m writing my senior thesis on the weight issues in the fashion industry and its effect on the general public, if you know of any good sites or books could you email me the titles and location (for sites) i would really appreciate it.
thank you