MADRID (Reuters) - The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other venues.


Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after protests that girls and young women were trying to copy their rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders.


Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.


But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and bulimia.


"I think its outrageous, I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer," said Gould, Elite's North America director, adding that the move could harm careers of naturally "gazelle-like" models.


Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia. It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy body images.


"Fashion is a mirror and many teenagers imitate what they see on the catwalk," said regional official Concha Guerra.


The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti, told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.


QUALITY, NOT SIZE


The Madrid show is using the body mass index or BMI -- based on weight and height -- to measure models. It has turned away 30 percent of women who took part in the previous event. Medics will be on hand at the September 18-22 show to check models.


"The restrictions could be quite a shock to the fashion world at the beginning, but I'm sure it's important as far as health is concerned," said Leonor Perez Pita, director of Madrid's show, also known as the Pasarela Cibeles.


A spokeswoman for the Association of Fashion Designers of Spain, which represents those at Madrid fashion week, said the group supported restrictions and its concern was the quality of collections, not the size of models.


Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed.


"If they don't go along with it the next step is to seek legislation, just like with tobacco," said Carmen Gonzalez of Spain's Association in Defense of Attention for Anorexia and Bulimia, which has campaigned for restrictions since the 1990s.

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What do you guys think? I think it's a good decision...hell, I' much rather look at healthy looking people then ones whom look like junkies

But more importantly, perhapes this will cut back on eating disorders aswell.

It's not the models I don't like... it's the Clothes!

If they want to hire a certain look, then hire a certain look. Of course it's discriminatory, but I don't want to watch joe blow star in movies either. I certainly don't think some Formula (Body Mass Index) for finding models fits with "Art". Picasso wouldn't have a chance.

IMO Eating Disorders for the most part begin at home, not the catwalk.

Damn, maybe, finally a fashion show worth watching.
Cue Sir Mix-a-lot...
"I like big butts..."


And eating disorders usually begin with some waterhead teenage girl trying to force her body into standards set by TV shows and movies.
But at least a realistic fashion show is a start.

I agree it's a good start.

good for the fashion show, overly thin people are less healty then over fat people

Never thought I would see the day when any organization would put restrictions on how skinny models should be.

I see nothing wrong with models having a little meat on their bones. I mean everyone's not a fricken toothpick.

Youth today, especially American's tend to look at what's plastered all over TV and magazines and yeah... Of course they'd think that's what beauty is.

Use more average models and kids will start thinking, "yeah... I'm beautiful.'

Until then, the fashion world will have to deal witht he fact, they are partially to blame DUH!

Thank God..Real thin women can't turn me on if they have a martini, a million dollar check, and a giant banner that says "Do me however you want!"..

I like a normal, healthy looking girl, and not some Italian-Greyhound looking, waif..
It makes me sad to think anybody would try and imitate that look..

bravo! Too many people in this world think it's all about being thin. You could have a horses face and a stick thin body and be beautiful. Yet you can have really beautiful face, have some extra padding, and be ugly. But moreso, these people are so caught up with those standards, that they forget that you can look as far or as close to what society wants, and still be a beautiful person on the inside.

It's about time. I'm all for it. I'm sick to death of seeing these too skinny people running around.

Wonder if they'll legislate how much air can be in their heads too?

makes you wonder if they have special shoes to keep them from floating right up off the catwalk...

Weights in the heel. I've got it sussed.

that explains it...

I almost hate to admit this now, but I was actually a Ramp model, back in the day, for a few years, when I was a teenager. We had to be very tall at least a size 8- 12, so that our image was we were "bigger than life". I was one of those California-type healthy looking girls, back then. I have thought how wierd and sick it was the way Ramp Models have had so many eating disorders and the whole thing has changed and it has become acceptable over the years. It used to be that your agent would get very upset with you if you dropped weight!!

heh I was a model for walmart in early teens, but I guess not long enough to develop any disorders... that I know of...

I hear I did start some short lived "craze" (not my words, the people in charge told me) in California for wearing the necktie outside the collar cause I was in a hurry getting dressed and just went out there an didn't notice was wearing it like that... oops. Was on commercials like that and they thought I did it on purpose....

Anyway... Update:
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/09/15/0...6.lxkagac8.html

Looks like Spain is showing the world they have more common sense than most of the rest of them.

We have a ban here in the USA against cigarette advertising on the tube and I think this is as equally important concerning long term health issues.

NOW I will look more at Spanish fashion shows than the French ones.
Ty for the news.
Go Spain! Knock em dead!