Chapter 85 Question 076

Why is Madrid's annual fashion show banning ultra-skinny models? In September 2006, organizers of Madrid's annual fashion show reached an agreement with the Spanish Fashion Designers Association to ban models with a body mass index (BMI) below 18.A model with a height of 175 centimeters needs to weigh around 56 kilograms to meet this standard.Organizers of Madrid Fashion Week say they want the event to reflect an image of health and beauty.But consumers apparently find thinner models prettier than others, or designers wouldn't hire them.So why ban skinny models? Designers believe, and the public seems to agree, that thinner models look better in clothes.Designers therefore gain a competitive advantage by hiring thinner models.To stay competitive, other designers will follow suit, and as the competition for status intensifies, it will eventually force models to deliberately adopt eating habits that are detrimental to their personal health. The BMI rules help eliminate the vicious competition mentioned above.

British Culture Secretary Tessa.Tessa Jowell applauded the Madrid rules and urged organizers of London Fashion Week to stick to the good.She said the impact of the move would surely go beyond the fashion industry.Young girls aspire to have the body of runway models, but if those models are all skinny and sickly, it will put pressure on ordinary girls to diet too much.