French fashion giants LVMH and Kering ban ultra-thin models
‘We hope to inspire the entire industry to follow suit’
A host of French-owned fashion labels spanning Christian Dior to Saint Laurent pledged Wednesday to ban ultra-thin models from their advertising and catwalk shows following criticism that the industry encourages anorexia.
French holding companies LVMH and Kering, which own dozens of top brands between them, unveiled a charter “to ensure the well-being of models” which will also outlaw the hiring of girls under the age of 16 for adult shoots or events.
In May, a French law requiring models to present a doctor’s certificate attesting to their good health was introduced to try to tackle the problem of the industry promoting thinness and unattainable beauty ideals.
The two French groups said they wanted to go beyond this requirement and would only use female models who were size 34 or over according to the French system, and men sized 44 or over.
Size 32 in France corresponds to XXS, or size 6 in Britain and size 0 in the United States.
