French fashion giants ban ultra-thin models

PARIS (AFP) — A host of French-owned fashion labels spanning Christian Dior to Saint Laurent pledged yesterday to ban ultra-thin models from their advertising and catwalk shows following criticism that the industry encourages anorexia.

French holding companies LVMH and Kering, which own dozens of top brands between them, unveiled a charter “to ensure the well-being of models” which will also outlaw the hiring of girls under the age of 16 for adult shoots or events.

In May, a French law requiring models to present a doctor’s certificate attesting to their good health was introduced to try to tackle the problem of the industry promoting thinness and unattainable beauty ideals.

The two French groups said they wanted to go beyond this requirement and would only use female models who were size 34 or over according to the French system, and men sized 44 or over.

Size 32 in France corresponds to XXS, or size 6 in Britain and size 0 in the United States.

“Respecting the dignity of all women has always been both a personal commitment for me and a priority for Kering as a group,” the company’s billionaire chairman FranÁois-Henri Pinault said in a statement.

“We hope to inspire the entire industry to follow suit, thus making a real difference in the working conditions of fashion models industrywide,” he added.

As well as the age and size stipulations, the charter includes other measures such as banning the serving of alcohol to models under 18 and ensuring they have a guardian or chaperone present at all times.