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February 16, 2007 12:00am
WOMEN deemed too skinny would not be banned from Australian catwalks despite the death from malnutrition this week of an 18-year-old model.
As the fashion world reeled over the death of Eliana Ramos – just six months after her model sister also died – the Australian Fashion Council said banning overly thin women from catwalks would be considered discriminatory.
AFC general manager Zoe Edquist said initial advice was that a skinny ban could contravene the Equal Opportunity Act. Instead, the AFC is developing voluntary guidelines.
"Body weight is one of the areas which can come up in discrimination," Ms Edquist said. "To say that someone is underweight is a label.
"As an industry association, we can't legislate to make rules but we can bring in industry-wide guidelines."
The call for action comes after Ramos, from Uruguay, became the third international model to die from malnutrition in six months.
Ramos died of heart failure caused by anorexia. Her 22-year-old model sister Luisel died in August after her weight plummeted to 40kg.
She had been eating nothing but lettuce leaves and Diet Coke for the three months before she collapsed.
Three months ago Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston also died from an anorexia-related illness.
She had been starving herself on a diet of apples and tomatoes.
The model, 21, had been modelling since she was 13 and at the time of her death she weighed just 38kg.
Australian Fashion Week organisers yesterday said they were developing voluntary guidelines on weight.
"We've been moving on this for months and we're into positive body images," Australian Fashion Week spokesman Graeme Lewsey said.
Chadwick Talent Development manager and former model Mink Sadowsky said she favoured guidelines and education over rules.
"'We teach our models about nutrition," she said.
In adopting guidelines, which would affect the fashion industry from model agencies to fashion week, Australia is seen as taking a softer stand than most countries.
London and New York Fashion Weeks have also taken the approach of adopting only guidelines.
However fashion bosses in Milan and Madrid have set a minimum body mass index – height/weight ratio – for models appearing on their catwalks.
At Madrid Fashion Week this week, five underweight models were banned after failing the weight test, which calls for a BMI of at least 18.
Ms Edquist said Australian models were not pushing themselves to such dieting extremes.
"There are probably a disproportionate number of models who are underweight but compared to Europe it's not seen as such a problem," she said.
Stick thin models SHOULD be allowed on the runways because they are making a concious decision to be thin. They will remain thin and get jobs somewhere else if they are turned away. Or they will gain the weight in muscle, which is more dangerous, since muscle weighs more than fat, the could gain weight, but be less healthy. Don't judge these women, they do not "warp our minds" like some people think they do. Peers pressure teens to stay thin more then magazines. Also, modeling changes, in the '90s voluptous models were desired, maybe by the 2-10s we will see more shapely women. Oh, and taking away these images will not help, since everyone already wants to be thin, and this will not change that. Thanks.
Posted by: Elizabeth Anne Michaels of NYC, NY 11:44am April 26, 2007
as a man i am sick to death of all these skin and bones women who are on every billboard and tv show. where are all the normal shaped women? curves are sexy, they are what makes women so fantastic to look at. please show us more size 12+ women!
Posted by: AC of Sydney 4:13pm February 16, 2007
How convenient....the Australian Fashion Council say its discriminatory not to employ an undeweight model however, has no problem turning away those that are considered too large!!!! Like in all socities these days, lets use the word 'Discriminatory' when it suits!
Posted by: Mel of Sydney 1:32pm February 16, 2007
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