BATTLE FOR HEALTHY MODELS

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) sets many of the standards and guidelines for the modeling industry, and is being prompted by many designers and eating disorder campaigns to make some important changes.

Designer Bradley Bayou recently spoke out against the rising trend in waiflike models because of his own daughter’s struggle. His 26-year old daughter has suffered from bulimia, which prompted Bayou to begin serving as an ambassador for the National Eating Disorder Association. The designer is encouraging the Council of Fashion Designers of America to require medical checkups for models to ensure that they are not suffering from an eating disorder and putting their health – and even their lives – at stake.

Skeletal models can send a dangerous message to teenagers and tweens who are suffering from low self-esteem and those who look up to the fashion industry for tips on how to keep up with the latest trends. Seeing too-skinny models day after day can have a negative impact on body image and self-esteem, and magazines such as Teen Vogue are making attempts to shift to healthy-looking models whenever possible.

WHAT IS A HEALTHY SIZE?

Most models working on the runways of major cities such as New York, Milan and London have to diet down to a 00 size or smaller, and the majorities have very small, petite frames to begin with. Size 00 is difficult to reach and maintain for the average woman, and most women who attempt to diet down to this size can end up with a dangerous eating disorder and simply become unhealthy. Modeling industry standards demand models to be no more than a size 4 dress size, and a size 2 or 0 in some cases. A healthy size is different for each person; a healthy weight and size depends on genetics, bone structure and overall lifestyle habits. Unfortunately, this healthy weight is often incompatible with today’s modeling standards.

• Educating prospective models about eating disorders and encouraging them to be alert about the signs of an eating disorder

• Encouraging models who are suffering from eating disorders to seek help

• Encouraging agents and fashion directors to exclude models that have an existing eating disorder or excluding those who are deemed “high risk” candidates

• Supplying healthy meals and fitness education backstage

• Reducing the market demand for ultra-skinny models by asking designers to create clothes with larger sizes in mind