Those of you with a Vogue magazine subscription will be familiar with the gorgeous fashion models gracing the pages – young, thin and able to make a bin bag look good (not that you’ll ever find a bin bag in Vogue, of course).
For us mere mortals, comparing ourselves to these girls can be a real knock on our self-esteem – how can we compare with a fashion model? It’s a problem many people face and it can lead to an unhealthy obsession with our own body shapes.
It’s not only us readers who develop issues though – the models in the magazine have the same insecurities that can also lead to health issues.
That’s why the editors of Vogue around the world have decided on a Health Initiative to promote healthy lifestyles for all models – which will then influence those who look up to them as role models.
Chairman of Conde Nast International, Jonathan Newhouse, said: “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 wellbeing of their readers.”
The six key points that have been agreed upon by Vogue editors globally are:
1. We will not knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder. We will work with models who, in our view, are healthy and help to promote a healthy body image.
2. We will ask agents not to knowingly send us underage girls and casting directors to check IDs when casting shoots, shows and campaigns.
3. We will help to structure mentoring programmes where more mature models are able to give advice and guidance to younger girls, and we will help to raise industry-wide awareness through education, as has been integral to the Council of Fashion Designers of America Health Initiative.
4. We will encourage producers to create healthy backstage working conditions, including healthy food options and a respect for privacy. We will encourage casting agents not to keep models unreasonably late.
5. We encourage designers to consider the consequences of unrealistically small sample sizes of their clothing, which limits the range of women who can be photographed in their clothes, and encourages the use of extremely thin models.
6. We will be ambassadors for the message of healthy body image.
We think this is a great step for Vogue – one that other big fashion magazines will hopefully follow.
Subscribe and save on aVogue magazine subscription today.
Posted by Amy Power.
