London Fashion Week refuses to ban 'size 0' models from catwalk
By Geneviève Roberts
Published: 26 January 2007
Dangerously thin models will not be banned from catwalks at London Fashion Week, despite an appeal from the British Fashion Council to use "healthy" models.
Last September, Spain introduced rules banning models with a Body Mass Index (BMI) under 18 appearing on the catwalk in Madrid. This followed the death of the Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos, who died of heart failure after eating nothing for days.
Two months later, the death of the Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston was linked to her battle with anorexia nervosa.
Milan followed Madrid's lead while Paris described it as a "non-issue", but despite pressure from politicians and physicians, ultra-thin models will not be prohibited from appearing during London Fashion Week. Instead, a task force will draw up a voluntary code of practice to promote the use of models larger than the American size zero (British size four), who are aged 16 or over.