London May Ban Skinny Models

Size Zero Model - www.flickr.com

London may soon follow the lead of Madrid and Milan.

With the London Fashion Week set to begin Sunday, a British government official has hinted that fashion shows in Britain may be banned from using size zero models.

Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, said she welcomed moves by the organisers of London Fashion Week to hire only "healthy" models aged older than 16.

However, when pressed on whether she would use her powers to compel them never to employ dangerously thin girls, she said: "We may get to that."

With the minister employing such phrases as “tyranny of thinness” or “oppression that thinness is perfection”, it seems that the fight against encouraging the use of dangerously thin models in Britain is starting to pick up.

Already, organizers of the upcoming London Fashion Week have decided to employ only "healthy" models aged older than 16 for its shows. This move comes after criticism that London Fashion Week failed follow the example set by Madrid and Milan, which has already banned extremely skinny models from their catwalks.

The whole size zero issue grabbed the world’s attention after two models died last year for complications associated with extreme thinness. Last November,  Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died of anorexia-related complications, while 22-year old model Luisel Ramos suffered a heart attack and died at the height of Uruguayan Fashion Week in August.