MADRID (AFP) - Excessively skinny fashion models will be barred from a major Madrid fashion show later this month for fear they could send the wrong message to young Spanish girls, local media reported.

Madrid's regional government, which is co-financing the Pasarela Cibeles, has vetoed around a third of the models who took part in last year's show because they weigh too little.

The authorities collaborated with a Spanish health organisation to come up with a minumum body mass -- a height-weight ratio -- of 18 for the models.

Spanish daily ABC said it was the first time such restrictions had been imposed on a fashion show, although a recent wedding dress exhibition in Barcelona banned fashion models who took a dress size below 38 (British size 10, US size eight).

Several models at last year's show provoked a row when they claimed their careers would be under threat if they put on weight.

Organisers said they wanted to "help ensure public opinion does not associate fashion, and fashion shows in particular, with an increase in anorexia, a disease which, along with bulimia, is considered ... as a mental and behavioural problem".

The event will take place on September 18-22.

I feel it's about time!  Hopefully this will catch on worldwide ;)

Interesting concept. ;D

I do a lot of fashion design art and usually draw fuller figures. Maybe this will catch on to the fashion industry. (And I'll catch a little less flack for using full figures for my designs from the so called experts......)

Wow!  Its a bit shocking-it could start a revolution.
Now if the film/television industry and advertising industry would follow suit we may really be on to something!!

I've never known anyone with anorexia or bulimia personally, but if it is a mental problem it will not be solved with this type of change.

Thanks for sharing this article, LD!!

Great article!  Overly skinny models are not good role models for young girls.  I applaud Madrid for their efforts, and let's hope the concept spreads.

I heard about this and thought "oh thank gods" How this idea spreads! ;D

A skinny lady is not attractive to me and I have seen some of these very thin models on tv and it is gross :o

I see nothing wrong with a lady being overweight but not grossly obese.  Not only is excessive weight unattractive it is very unhealthy.

I get so sick of ladies and girls who are not skinny but are also not overweight but they claim they need to lose weight ::)

But, as I always like to say;  beauty is in the eye of the beholder ;)

Jerry

my senior year of high school, one of my friends was freakishly skinny, and finally after being directly confronted, admitted she was anorexic. She wanted to be a model and that's the only thing she could think of that would help her career.
What's sad, after she put on about 20 lb, she was WAAAAAYYY prettier, and actually had people wanting to photograph her.
Actually, I was the first one to get that honor :)  a series mainly devoted to her and her long hair...