2006 saw an increased focus on the weights of models featured in fashion shows and photos spreads. By year’s end, fashion shows in Madrid and Milan were setting restrictions on the sizes of models and it was widely assumed that regulations would also be set elsewhere. While many in the industry were hailing the initiative as a much-needed move to combat a the prevalence of distorted body images among women and young girls, an equally vocal group suggested that the rules penalized naturally slender models and would curtail designers’ creative freedoms.
The tragic death of Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos at a show during Montevideo’s Fashion Week was a primary cause of the ban on “overly-thin” models during Madrid’s Pasarela Cibeles in September. While Fashion Week in Madrid doesn’t have the same clout as similar events in Paris and Milan, the ban was the first of its kind at a top-level show. And it wasn’t long after the ban in Madrid that Milan’s first female mayor, Letizia Moratti, sought a similar ban on model’s that looked “emaciated.”
By December, the Italian government and fashion industry had reached an agreement to adhere to a voluntary code of conduct that required models to have medical documents certifying that they are healthy. The agreement also banned the use of models under the age of 16. While not legally binding, the changes in Milan—arguable the fashion capital of the world—signaled that the trend to keep rail-thin models of runways was gaining momentum.
Unfortunately, in the intervening months, another model had succumbed to complications from anorexia. Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died at age 21 of a kidney malfunction. Like Ramos, Reston had a body mass index (BMI) that was significantly below what the World Health Organization (WHO) considers indicative of starvation. The BMI is a statistical measure of weight in relation to height that is commonly used to determine if a person is below, at, or above a normal weight. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal. Anything below that range is underweight and the WHO regards a figure below 16 as starvation. At the times of her death, Luisel Ramos was rumored to have been subsisting on a diet of lettuce and diet coke for nearly three months. Her BMI was around 14.5. Carolina Reston’s BMI was only 13.4 after eating little more than tomatoes and apples.
Madrid’s ban on ultra-thin models set the bar at a BMI of 18 or above. Anyone below that mark could not participate in runway shows and a full 30% of women who had walked in 2005 didn’t make the cut. The head of one top agency said that the fashion industry was being unfairly blamed for causing women and girls to try to mimic the looks they see in fashion shows by extreme or dangerous diets. The same industry insider also pointed out that the ban was unfair to models who are naturally “gazelle-like”.
While it’s true that some women have genes that allow them to stay a size 0 while maintaining a healthy, nutritious diet, that isn’t the case for the vast majority. Many aspiring models believe (and quite unfortunately they are often told) that if they “lose a few more pounds,” they’d get a break. But recent trends in fashion were constantly setting the bar lower and lower as ultra-thin models came to be in higher demand than the curvier types of decades past.
The health risks associated with prolonged periods of poor nutrition range from muscle weakness, to osteoporosis and immune dysfunction. In addition to the physiological effects, a strong desire to control weight and be ultra-thin can also result in psychological disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Anorexia, which was the cause of Reston’s kidney malfunction, has one of the highest mortality rates of a psychological disorder. Approximately 10% of all those diagnosed die due to related factors.
Except for a select few, a career in modeling—like most other jobs where maintaining a peak fitness level is required—is usually relatively fleeting. Trends change quickly, and so can a designer’s tastes. If you’re up for the challenge and can ride the highs and lows while keeping healthy, then we at Evolution Look encourage you to do so. However, if you’re seeking a career in fashion, and think that radical dieting is the only way to achieve success, you have to ask yourself how much it’s worth…
For more information on healthy eating and proper nutrition, visit the US Department of Agricultures new Food Pyramid site http://www.mypyramid.gov/.
To calculate your body mass index, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared, and then multiply by 703 (WT ÷ HT2 x 703 = BMI), or consult the chart below. BMIs between 18.5 and 24.9 are considered to be in the healthy range.