Size zer-NO! Models at London Fashion Week are the same size as your four year old child
Study of top 5 agencies reveals fashion still sends damaging message
As the fashion world’s eyes fall on London for its first Fashion Week of the year (LFW) (17-21 Feb 2017), a study of the top five model agencies reveals a quarter of models are still a size zero (UK size 4) or less. Storm even had one model listed as having a 21-inch waist, which is the same as a four-year-old girl’s school uniform measurement at Marks and Spencer[v].
Despite designers including Nicole Farhi, Ben de Lisi, Paul Smith and Victoria Beckham rejecting the use of super skinny models from their catwalks, the darker trend of dangerously thin models shows no sign of going out of fashion as 27.5% of the world’s top models measure up to an average of just 31-inch chest x 24 inch waist x 34 inch hips (UK size 4).
This is well within the range of a standard UK size 4 (32.5” x 24.5” x 34.5”[ii]) and much smaller than the average dress size for woman in the UK of size 16[iii] (41” x 33” x 43”[iv]).
Holistic health website Make Your Switch analysed data based on model statistics to reveal the proportion of which are a ‘size 0’ or ‘size 00’, more commonly known as a UK size 4 and size 2 respectively:
SIZE ZER-NO LEAGUE TABLE
The research found that Select model agency tops the list with well over a third (37%) of models being a zero or less. One in ten (8.4%) are a size double zero – 00 – which is a UK size 2.
Psychologist and Director of Make Your Switch Emma Kenny said: “It’s about time we put an end to the media smoke and mirrors that portrays super skinny models as an ideal. With the fashion industry continually championing models who are extremely thin, beyond levels which are healthy and sustainable, through mass media, a dangerous cycle is created which can often lead women into choosing quick fixes to achieve their ‘perfect body’ to wear some of these looks.”
“This is often only the beginning, as over the long-term, exposure to images and videos of thin women starring in a global fashion event can have a harmful effect on our health, nutrition, self-esteem and ultimately happiness.”
Standard US / UK dimensions
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