Toronto Fashion Week organizers refuse BMI restrictions

[David Baxter PhD]

Toronto Fashion Week organizers refuse BMI restrictions
Friday, October 26, 2007
CBC News

Toronto Fashion Week organizers have chosen not to place weight restrictions on models walking the runway, saying the regulations would send an inappropriate message.

"Having doctors on site with calipers is going to give younger people [the idea], 'Oh I can be more in the spotlight if I am this messed up," said Robin Kay, the executive director for the Toronto show.

Organizers at Montreal's Fashion week in early October announced that models with a low body mass index ? a calculation based on a person's weight to height ratio ? or those who show signs of having an eating disorder would be pulled from the clothing trade show.

The United Nations suggests healthy adults should have a BMI of between 18.5 and 25.

Toronto-based designer Nada Shepherd said she when she chooses her models, she opts for those who look healthy. But she said some designers prefer rail-thin silhouettes.

"I know one designer ? and I'm not going to say any names ? who look for the really, really skinny sick girls and they like this really awkward walk," she said. "That's totally not what I like."

Shepherd said consumers have an important role to play in demanding change.

"If every single consumer said, 'I don't want to see clothes on clothes hangers walking at me' ? then designers will stop," she said.

Fashion week organizers in Europe and North America continue to debate how best to deal with eating disorders in the industry. In Spain and Italy, models must have a BMI of at least 18.5 to be eligible to participate in fashion week shows.

In England, London Fashion Week officials banned models under the age of 16 from walking the catwalk this year. Organizers did not set a BMI standard for participants, saying the index was not necessarily the best indicator of good health.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Toronto Fashion Week organizers have chosen not to place weight restrictions on models walking the runway, saying the regulations would send an inappropriate message. "Having doctors on site with calipers is going to give younger people [the idea], 'Oh I can be more in the spotlight if I am this messed up," said Robin Kay, the executive director for the Toronto show.

Uh... not if those women don't appear in the spotlight, Robin Kay. I'm amazed you let those words out of your mouth and didn't beg the reporter to let you retract them. What were you thinking?

Shepherd said consumers have an important role to play in demanding change. "If every single consumer said, 'I don't want to see clothes on clothes hangers walking at me' — then designers will stop," she said.

What utter crap!

This reminds of the rapist who blames his victim by saying, "If women don't want to be raped, they shouldn't wear sexy clothes".

The fashion industry isn't to blame for creating unhealthy images - the consumer is to blame for not objecting and making them stop? What the hell do you think people have been doing all over the world, Ms. Shepherd?

Honestly, the ability of some people to toally shirk responsibility astounds and dismays me. :rant:

 

[Peanut]

I'm not sure what to think about all this, just that it's really sad that industry has gone so far overboard that it's been reduced to this. As someone who naturally carries a low BMI, I understand how that measurement could be a bit unfair. However, also having an idea that this is stemming from the extremes of the modeling industry, it's understandable. It's just very sad.