THE BAN ON SKINNY MODELS

 France is cracking down on extremely thin models who expose youth to an ‘unrealistic’ body ideal

Bucking the adage that models can never be too thin or too beautiful, France has put into effect a law that prevents modelling agencies from hiring models that are too skinny.

The bill was originally brought forth in 2015, though that one was entirely dependent on a model’s BMI (body mass index), a body mass measurement that has since been discredited as an accurate gauge of health. The new ruling states that models must have a certificate from a doctor attesting to their overall physical health based on age, weight and body shape.

 “Exposing young people to normative and unrealistic images of bodies leads to a sense of self-depreciation and poor self-esteem that can impact health-related behaviour,” Marisol Touraine, France’s Minister of Social Affairs and Health, said in a statement.

In addition, fashion magazines or designers who sidestep the process will be fined up to 75,000 euros ($112,000) and could face up to six months in jail. And beginning Oct. 1, all retouched images that appear in a magazine will have to be labelled “photographie retouchée“ (retouched photograph), or face a fine of 37,500 euros ($56,000) or 30 per cent of the advertising budget, according to The Telegraph.

The British daily reports that fashion industry insiders are “angry” about the legislation and call it a “dangerous confusion between anorexia and the slimness of models” that could ultimately damage French modelling agencies. Synam, France’s national model agency union, said the approach to models’ size should be standardized across Europe.

Two top French fashion groups with labels from Christian Dior to Gucci are to ban super-skinny models from catwalks and advertising worldwide, following a string of scandals over anorexia and mistreatment.

From now on, they will only use women who are size 34 – a British size six – or over. Men must to be size 44, UK size 34, or over.

The move has received much praise and support from around the world and has led to calls in other countries for governments to do the same.

But France isn’t the first country to pass legislation on underweight models – Italy, Israel and Spain have all done so.

Other countries, such as Denmark and the US, have taken a slightly different approach that focuses more on peer pressure and less on forcing the fashion industry’s hand through legislation.

A law banning the hiring of ultra-thin models in France came into effect in May this year.

Companies could be fined up to €75,000 or its bosses jailed for up to six months if they breach the law.

The French health ministry says the changes in legislation aim to fight eating disorders and inaccessible ideals of beauty.

Major French fashion houses LVMH and Kering behind labels including Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent this week have said they would stop using underweight models for their catwalk shows worldwide.

But I’d leave something for the general public to ponder on: DID THESE MODELS BECOME THIS WAY OVERNIGHT? THIS IS SOMETHING THE FASHION INDUSTRY STARTED AND ENFORCED. AND SUDDENLY, THEY ARE BAILING OUT ON THE OUTCOME OF WHAT THEY’VE MADE MODELS THINK AND BECOME. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE VAST NUMBER OF MODELS WHO HAVE BECOME ANOREXIC FROM WANTING TO KEEP THEIR JOBS???