Super skinny models banned in France

s Mercedes-Benz Australia Fashion Week prepares to start on Sunday, the international capital of fashion France, has implemented new laws banning the use of unhealthily skinny models.

Models in France are now required to produce a doctor’s certificate of health before working. Image: Getty 

Models need to produce a doctor’s certificate stating that they are healthy enough to work before embarking down the runway. The certificate is valid for two years with doctors paying particular attention to body mass index.

 

World Health Organisation guidelines suggest that a person with a BMI under 18.5 is underweight, below 18 is malnourished and below 17 is seriously malnourished. With a height of 175cm and a weight of 50kg the average model has a BMI of just 16.

Legislation in Italy and Spain offers a minimum BMI but there is greater flexibility, taking into account BMI variations, with the French approach.

“Exposing young people to normative and unrealistic images of bodies leads to a sense of self-depreciation and poor self-esteem that can impact health-related behaviour,” says health and social affairs minister Marisol Touraine.

In October further legislation will come into effect requiring advertisements and fashion shoots to declare where a model’s appearance has been the subject of digital manipulation.

A shocking interview with emerging designer Fazila Shahwaani, where she says, “I wouldn’t mind if a model was anorexic on the catwalk, as long as they look nice,” shows the difficult path ahead in changing the attitudes of the industry.