VOGUE magazine, perhaps the world’s top go-to guide for everything fashion and style, is making a statement about its own models: banning the use of skinny models. Vogue magazines around the world have made a pact to project the image of healthy models. They agreed to “not knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder.”
“Vogue believes that good health is beautiful. Vogue Editors around the world want the magazines to reflect their commitment to the health of the models who appear on the pages and the well-being of their readers,” said Conde Nast International Chairman Jonathan Newhouse in a statement.
It seems at long last there has been a resounding crack-down on the health and well-being of working, high fashion models world over. Australian Hairdresser of the Year and Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV) Ambassador, Frank Apostolopoulos is doing his part in the industry to encourage positive eating. With the support of his BIBA group of salons he is getting behind a new campaign to raise awareness for the risk of dieting and eating disorders titled, FEED THE SOUL.
“5% of the Australian community will develop an eating disorder in their lifetime and the role the media plays in our self image is enormous. The pursuit of the unattainable has clear negative impacts on the mental health, self esteem and well being of may people so it’s great to see fashion magazines such as Vogue taking the lead in promoting positive body images,” said Frank.
Frank has worked with some of the biggest names in modelling in the country and seen first hand the impact severe dieting can have on not only a person’s health but state of mind; along with the role the fashion media play in creating unattainable and unrealistic body images.
“I have worked with many international models who starve themselves in order to gain work in cities like New York and Paris; as the fashion industry overseas often demands unrealistically thin models. Australian’s would not tolerate this, which is a great thing.”
“We are very lucky in Australia that our fashion and media industries value healthy, natural looking women. Of course many models are not representative of the general population and lack a diversity of body shapes and sizes; however this is also driven by consumer demand as well as advertisers desire to sell an image of ‘perfection’ for consumers to aspire to, yet never attain.”
– Today’s fashion models weigh 23% less than the average female
– A young woman between the ages of 18-34 has a 7% chance of being as slim as a catwalk model
– A yound woman between the ages of 18-34 has a 11% chance of being as thin as a supermodel.
– 69% of girls in one study said that magazine models influence their idea of the perfect body shape, and the pervasive acceptance of this unrealistic body type creates an impractical standard for the majority of women.
“This is why BIBA is getting behind the Feed The Soul campaign; to not only help us celebrate food and its importance in our lives but provide a forum to talk openly and drive awareness around the issues of body image, diet and both mental and physical health,” says Frank.
Here, here!
About Feed The Soul: https://www.everydayhero.com.au/event/feedthesoul2012
About Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV): https://www.eatingdisorders.org.au/
Check out Frank in action backstage at Chistopher Esber at 2011 RAFW
