Indian fashion fraternity sizes up French size-zero ban

As France joined Italy, Spain and Israel in banning excessively thin fashion models passing a law that threatens six months' prison and a fine of US $82,000 for fashion houses and agents who hire such models, the Indian fashion fraternity, which often denies this problem has local dimensions, has been watching these developments closely.

While hailing the French parliament move, designer Wendell Rodricks (known for being involved in everything fashion – from lecturing on world costume history to fashion journalism and styling for international advertising campaigns) told dna, "This is however a very first world, Western and particularly French problem." According to him this is not a problem that Indian models need to even think about. "In India both men and women like their women with a bit of flesh on them. Even looking thin to the point of the emasciation will be a no-no."

The French move is part of a wider crackdown on anorexia backed by President Francois Hollande's government. Lawmakers also approved a separate measure making it illegal to condone anorexia, a move targeting Internet sites that encourage dangerous weight loss.

The bill passed today said, "Modelling is banned for any person whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is lower than levels proposed by health authorities and decreed by the ministers of health and labour." It will now require French models to present a medical certificate showing a BMI of at least 18, about 55 kg (121 lb) for a height of 1.75 metres (5.7 feet), before being hired and for a few weeks hence.

The second measure means that any website inciting a reader to "seek excessive thinness by encouraging eating restrictions for a prolonged period of time, resulting in risk of mortality or damage to health," will face up to a year in prison and fines up to 1,00,000 euros.

While the bill is seen as significant for France where a whopping 30-40,000 suffer from anorexia, most of them teenagers, many like Mumbai's designer Nachiket Barve echo Rodricks.

"I welcome what the French lawmakers have done. Fashion is about the beautiful and the healthy. By bringing in this law, it is being underlined clearly that being healthy is a very important part of beauty." He pointed out how most designers in the fraternity weren't keen to have 'waif-like' models. "They will simply not exuberate the healthy glow that is required for a model. That is inherent. What we achieve with make-up and clothes can only supplement that not create it."

Both Barve and Rodricks insist that none of the Indian models are actually size zero. "They are more like size 3 or 4," says Rodricks while Barve adds, "Even the few on the celebrity circuit who have been in news about theier size zero figures have never been there. This just becomes another way of staying or keeping them in circulation with publicity."

Model and celebrity Sushant Divgikar who was Mr Gay (India) World, is himself size 3 and admits that he has several friends in the modelling fraternity who are size zero. "You should see some of the women. They eat 24x7 and if they still don't put on how can you blame them?"

Many like model and actor Nolan Lewis speak of how anorexia is wrongly given a gender strait-jacket. "Of course the popular stereotype has been of beefy men, but as the European look is more accepted we're borrowing the androgynous feel. Now there is pressure on men to look boyish and tender," he observed and added, "I know of one model Ritish who had severe issues with his health because of anorexia. He finally quit and emigrated but it was scary to see his condition."

Mariette Valsan, who has modelled for some of the top-most brands, agreed with the preference of leaner models. "Yet, I don't feel the pressure to be a certain size is unbearable. With the influx of international talent, the size complex is spilling over, but as long as there are Indian clothes on the runway, curves will always be in fashion."

While admitting to her discomfort with how internationally, models have been getting younger and skinnier, she added, "Often, even 14-year olds are on magazine covers sexualised. And at that age, the pressure to stay in the game is huge. It eventually leads to a host of issues." She pointed and hoped "Creating a minimum size limit will hopefully prevent young models from extreme measures to fit in, and will present a more normal, relatable and realistic representation of women in advertising."

We can only agree...