The Fashion Industry Finally Realises The Dangers Of The Size 0

We live in a society where women, who were once celebrated for their curves, now look androgynous. Women who are a size zero are now celebrated and put onto front pages of magazines, yet pretty soon may be lying in a hospital bed on an IV drip. What kind of an example is that setting our children?
Finally the industry has taken note of the dangers of being an unnaturally thin.
In a recent inquiry into models health, it has been concluded that models should be subject to regular health checks and random drug tests. Models under the age of 16 should be banned from the catwalk.

The inquiry didn’t recommend a minimum size or body mass index, as has been imposed in Madrid and Milan. The inquiry, let by Baroness Kingsmill was in response to the controversy surrounding the death of two South American models last year.
Both Ana Carolina Reston and Luisel Ramos died from complications caused by anorexia. Luisel’s younger sister Eliana died in February.

Paul Costelloe, famous designer has said that it was right for the industry to take responsibility for the health of its models, but disagreed with weight limits.
He said, “I don’t think it’s right that the fashion industry should be dictated to by a booklet telling us that if a model is 5′10″ she has to weigh nine stone, 10 stone, or whatever. People are different: it’s down to their bones, to their shape, to their genes.
You know straight away, and I’ve been around this business long enough to know when a girl is a bit unhappy in herself, then that will show as soon as she puts on a garment and walks in front of you one should be able to tell.

“I would not use and generally my clothes would not fit a size eight anyway, and a person who is size eight and 5′10″ that’s nearly too thin. You need a good 10 or 11.”

This, however, is only one designers view and there still remains pressure on models to conform to these extreme body forms.
Jo Lawden is a naturally skinny size 8 and has been modelling for almost seven years. She says it takes real strength of character to maintain self-confidence when the competition is a tiny size 0.

“Nowadays in the industry there is a lot of pressure for girls to be skinny.
I know a lot of people don’t like the whole size zero thing however we all know it does exist and sometimes you can’t help but think ‘oh God I need to be a size zero.’ It can be really detrimental to you.

“You worry about everything so much and there are so many girls out there fighting for the same job, we’re all up for the same thing and it’s very competitive.
It is too simplistic to blame the fashion industry for ‘causing’ eating disorders, indeed that would be patronising to those suffering from them. But those trying to help them recover say there is a responsibility to be borne by the fashion industry in terms of normalising very low body weights.

There are so many young girls (and boys) out there striving to become that ultimate size 0. Why? So they can be a model? So they can be celebrated for their body? We need to change these young peoples perceptions on what is healthy and what is not. Yes, it has to start with the fashion industry but there are things we can all do to promote a healthier body image.

Girls, love your curves! They are what makes you womanly, what makes you sexy. Being thin is ok - being unnaturally thin is dangerous. If you think that you or someone close to you is struggling with an eating disorder, please don’t hesitate to get help. What happened to Ana Carolina Reston and Luisel Ramos can’t happen again, lets make sure it doesn’t.

For more information on eating disorders, and if you are in need of help, please visit here,

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