Naomi 'would be too thin'
2006-09-14 10:35
Milan - Italy's fashion capital is in a
tizzy over a ban on overly thin models at Madrid's fashion week,
fearing it could be next with its own catwalk extravaganza less
than two weeks away.
Milan's mayor, Letizia Moratti, told a newspaper this week
that she may bring the Spanish ban on underweight models to
Italian shows.
Madrid is turning away models whose body mass index, based
on weight and height, falls below a certain level.
"With those kind of rules, we'd have to turn away 80 percent
of models. Naomi Campbell wouldn't be able to walk down the
catwalk, she'd be too thin," said Riccardo Gay, head of the
model agency of the same name that used to represent Campbell in
Milan.
He also said Madrid had exaggerated the issue.
"Some designers have used extremely thin models, but we
haven't. We tell models to exercise, eat well, go to bed early
- sensible rules," he added.
Madrid's regional government imposed the rules on fashion
week to protect the models as well as teenagers who may develop
anorexia as they try to copy underweight catwalk stars.
Mario Boselli, head of the Italian fashion industry's
chamber of commerce, said anorexia was a "rare phenomenon" in
the fashion business.
"You don't solve these problems with new rules. We have to
use common sense and work with everyone in the industry -
including the models - to spread awareness and deal with the
problem," Boselli told Reuters.
Moratti was unavailable for comment, having left on a trip
to Japan.
Milan fashion week, which brings together top designers such
as Versace, Armani, Gucci and Prada, starts on September 23.