Fashion industry told to look after models’ health and safety

The world of fashion has been issued with a firm command to “just grow up” by Lady Kingsmill, the woman in charge of cleaning up the modelling industry. The industry has recently been critiscised for its use of size zero models, and The Model Health Inquiry – an independent body created by the British Fashion Council, are to look at whether models are endangering their health in an industry which notoriously puts style over comfort.

 

The committee, made up of high-profile members of the fashion industry including designers, models and managers, has said that action is required on a range of issues, including the publics concern about size zero models. Members of the panel will be talking to colleagues about the problems and will issue guidelines this year on how to improve current practices. The key issues to be looked at by the committee are as follows:

 

 

1. 
   
   Number of hours worked by models


2. 
   
   Diet and eating habits


3. 
   
   Drug and alcohol habits


4. 
   
   The age of models working


5. 
   
   The industry’s preference for slim models


6. 
   
   Pastoral care and education available to the models when working