Last week’s Spanish ban on underweight models was a shock to the fashion world — but women activists and health specialists are applauding it.
On The Catwalk, How Thin Is Too Thin?
By Juliette Terzieff 

Spain’s top fashion show made international headlines this week not for the clothes on display but for the size of the women wearing them.

The Sept. 13 decision from the Madrid regional government to enforce a ban on underweight models for Madrid Fashion Week catwalks has sent shock waves through the global fashion industry and set off a chorus of calls to expand the ban and formulate a new industry standard. The government’s decision is intended to promote a healthier body image.

The unprecedented move marked the first time organizers of a major fashion show imposed weight limits in line with World Health Organization guidelines for healthy height-to-weight ratios used to calculate a person’s body mass index, which estimates the portion of fat in the body.

Over 30 percent of the models who appeared in Madrid shows last year were disqualified under the new guidelines that will likely prevent the participation of top models such as Brazil’s Fabiana, Spain’s Esther Canadas, Britain’s Kate Moss and Estonia native Carmen Kass.

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