Global - Technology - Review

International Vogue Magazine editors have united against very young models and those who may be underwight. 19 editions will no longer carry pictures of anybody less than 16 years old or appearing to have any sort of eating disorder.  The decision has been made as a policy against the airbrushed and manipulated images that many believe girls, and some young men, are influenced by to aspire to some impossible illusion of a perceived body perfection.

The Condé Nast International chairman, publisher of Vogue,Jonathan Newhouse, said on Thursday, “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 well-being of their readers.”

The Vogue announcement included the following six-point pact.

“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 programs 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.”

The move has been welcomed by most people within the industry and the hope is that other magazines, designers and fashion influencers will follow suit to bring a healthier and more realistic vision to the millions who follow the latest trends.