Sickly thin models off catwalk
2006-12-22 22:17
Rome - Italy's government and fashion chiefs signed a pact on Friday to keep sickly thin models off the catwalk.
The pact requires women to show proof of their good health or risk being barred from shows.
A "manifesto" also bans the use of models under the age of 16, saying they will send the "wrong message to girls of the same age in a delicate pre-puberty phase".
"Sixty percent of teenagers in our country would like to be skinnier than they are," said Giovanna Melandri, minister for youth policy, after the Rome signing ceremony.
"This is also the consequence of the idea that the only ascetic model is being very, very skinny."
Spain barred models below a certain weight from Madrid fashion shows in September.
Brazil also launched a campaign to ban underage, underweight models from its catwalks earlier this month, in response to the death of a Brazilian model from complications from anorexia.
But the pact, called "The National Manifest of Self-Regulation by Italian Fashion Against Anorexia", did not spell out any sanctions and carried no legal weight.
Industry leaders at the signing, however, promised that fashion houses would abide by the new internal regulations.
One suggested that fashion houses breaking the rules would be inconvenienced, such as being knocked out of important time slots or dates at fashion events.
'Eating disorders' barred
"So, it's about technical punishment. But these technicalities are very important in fashion," said Stefano Dominella, head of AltaRoma, which organises Rome events.
Melandri said she recognised that the manifesto would not "solve the problem" but it would help.
The manifesto requires models to produce a health certificate. Those with "apparent eating disorders" will be barred from shows.
Criteria used includes body mass index - a ratio of weight to height squared. The World Health Organisation classifies women with an index of less than 18.5 as underweight.
But Italian National Fashion Chamber head Mario Boselli, whose lobby represents big names like Armani, Versace and Prada, said body mass was not always a fair indicator.
He pointed to a press report which showed that super model Naomi Campbell had a body mass index below 18.
"She can model anyway. She's not anorexic and in good health," said Boselli.
"It's not that someone passes or not (because of the index). A doctor can issue a certificate. If the certificate says the girl can model, she can have lower body-mass."