Catwalk Models: shaping our minds and our bodies.

This generation seems to thrive off fashion, figure and beauty. Every day young girls are aspiring to be like the models that they see on television; sexy, thin and fashionable. Fashion is like a mirror and many teenagers are trying to copy what they see on the catwalk. This presents a problem when a significant proportion of the models that are on the catwalk are becoming exceedingly thin. Not all models are undersized, however there are particular agencies that recruit models that as individuals are anorexic, therefore influencing the youth of today in a negative way. The question lately seems to be whether ultra-thin models are to be held responsible for the influencing today’s women in a negative way? If so, should there be a ban on models of a certain BMI and clothing size?

Research shows that the Australian Medical Association wants the Federal Government to adjust the fashion industry and put in place a body mass index minimum for all models. Body mass index, also known as BMI, is a ratio of weight and height. Anything below a BMI of 18.5 is considered to be very unhealthy. Many agencies have already enforced the ban on certain sized models. Particularly in Madrid and Milan the BMI testing has been introduced. However in Australia the fashion industry seems to be resisting the ban, but is saying that they will make the industry healthier; Australian Fashion Week recently announced it would introduce healthy guidelines for its models. The fashion council of Australia has recognized the need for healthy models to be on the catwalk and anorexic or sick models to be kept off the catwalk. They are imposing guidelines for the selection of models and providing more education on nutrition and the dangers of eating disorders. In July 2007 there was a new rule proposed that all models under the age of 16 were banned from the London Fashion Week catwalks. Particular organizations are currently trying to make this rule worldwide because they believe it will protect the welfare of young women and decrease the risk of them becoming one of those size 0 models that we often see on the catwalks today. Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed by any agencies or industries at all. If the new BMI rule is correctly introduced and accepted, then the beauty industry would be sending a positive message and image to all the young women in this world.

At this point in time the worrying new fashion seems to be stick thin models with their rib cages on display. Will this lethal phase outlive the generation of young women today? We can either just sit back hoping that girls don’t give into the temptation of being ultra thin or we can encourage the government to enforce a legal minimum size for models. For so many years the fashion industry was made up of super-skinny models. In the last generation the skinny models went un-noticed; it has only been in the last few years that super skinny has now been considered unhealthy. Whether the fashion industry likes it or not they have a responsibility to portray healthy body images to the members of society, especially young women. A recent survey that was conducted proves that a fair majority of women have a feeling of low self-esteem after they read magazines or watch television, and some also wish they could look like a certain celebrity. All the celebrities that were mentioned by the women happened to be celebrities who were reasonably thin and beautiful. This shows that the media and beauty industries are stealing women’s rights to be individuals and to love who they are and what they look like, no matter what clothing size or BMI that they are.

Eating disorders affect around 10 percent of young women between the ages of fourteen to twenty-four. Anorexia has been stated as the third most common disease in Australia. If all models were to be healthy and realistic looking then these statistics could dramatically decrease. If skeletal thin models are all girls ever see on the catwalk, it is what they will most probably want to become; they will begin to trick themselves into believing that this image is beautiful and ultimately the perfect look. Eating disorders can begin if a teenager is being told or socialized to believe that thin is ideal and has endless benefits. As teenage girls haven’t particularly found their sense of identity yet and in some cases they don’t have a strong self-esteem; they will no doubt look to the media, models and beauty industries to find themselves. So if they are seeing naturally beautiful or normal looking models they are likely to build up a good self-esteem and foundation for their life. If they were too see anorexic, perfect models then there would be a high chance that their vision would become distorted and they may fall into the deadly cycle of anorexia themselves. When young girls are trying to become the perfect thin models that they see in the media they unintentionally overlook the negative outcomes that can come with being anorexic. In some cases anorexia can result in drug addictions and depressions. Many models with these outcomes are not able to physically and emotionally cope with the pressure of workload attached to being a model and jeopardize their career, and their physical and psychological well being.

Careful research proves that many women in today’s society are being affected in a negative way by the media, models and the beauty industry in general. Several solutions have been proposed in order to make these three things positive influences on the women of today. However, some organizations are not accepting these proposals and continue to allow very thin young models on their catwalks. BMI and clothing size may be a criteria for models to be accepted as part of the model industry. This may then affect the image that young women feel they need to match up to and thus decrease the pressure on young women that thin is beautiful.


- Olivia

* Essay I wrote for school. But seriously its so true, media, models and just fashion in general can get into and mess with your head so badly.