Size 0 models on catwalk

Posted by mija on Apr 27, 2007 in News, Scandals | 0 comments

THE weighty issue of skinny models has raised its ugly head after a young girl with a dangerously low body mass index was booked to hit the runway in two of shows at the high-profile Australian Fashion Week.
While the fashion world is moving to ban overly thin models who have a low BMI, organisers of Australian Fashion Week are not following suit – instead opting to let the local industry regulate itself.
At the centre of the controversy is Australia’s Next Top Model contestant Alice Burdeu who, along with the program’s four other finalists, has been booked to strut her stuff in the shows for leading designers Alex Perry and Alex Zabotto-Bentley’s Fashion Assassin label during next week’s fashion extravaganza.
Carrying a mere 58kg on her willowy 185cm frame, Burdeu has a BMI of 15.3.
The World Health Organisation considers 18 to be healthy.
Models in Madrid who fall under this BMI number are now banned from participating in fashion shows, while other parts of the world are also cracking down on super-slim models.
The international call to fight the malnourished look – particularly in relation to BMI scrutiny – has come following the death of three overseas models this year, but Australia is still seen to be taking a softer stand than most other countries.
Australian Fashion Week supremo Simon Lock was yesterday full of praise for Burdeu’s “overall look” as he defended the voluntary guidelines on weight in place for Monday’s fashion week launch.
“We don’t need to go by a BMI schedule because the industry is very diligent when it comes to this issue,” Lock said.
“Alice has a great overall look – she’s my pick to take out the Australia’s Next Top Model contest and I’m looking forward to seeing her on the catwalk,” he added.