Vogue Editors Vow Not to Employ Models with Eating Disorders
The heads of Vogue's 19 international editions have come together to form a six-point pact which promises, among other things, to stop the practice of working with models younger than 16, or those who, at the editors' discretion, are determined to be suffering from an eating disorder.
"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," Condé Nast International chairman Jonathan Newhouse said in a statement.
In addition to pledging that they will "not knowingly work" with under-16 or "unhealthy" models, the editors also made a commitment to help "raise industry-wide awareness through education," as well as "encourage producers to create healthy backstage working conditions" through healthier food options, respect for privacy, and reasonable working hours.
Designers will also be encouraged to quit the practice of providing "unrealistically small sample sizes of their clothing," which restricts the model's range and body type.
"We will be ambassadors for the message of healthy body image," the pact concludes.
The announcement by Vogue follows a similar set of guidelines released by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which asks the industry to avoid employing models who are not yet 16 years of age. Some fashion houses and modeling agencies, namely Marc Jacobs and Ford Models, have openly flouted that request.
