Too skinny? You won’t model. Paris –themore years pass, the more you hear about it. But despite all good intentions, sensitization campaigns, and the very good talk of many stylists and sector representatives, even nowadays, what hits us more during fashion weeks – let alone the beauty of the garments – is many mannequins’ skinniness. But now France says “that’s enough”.   French socialist deputy Olivier Veran,sick and tired of witnessing this “legalized suicide”, stepped forward, and – supported by Minister for Health Marisol Touraine – had his bill on anorexia passed. From now on, the BMI will decide whether or not a mannequin is fit for modeling. The BMI – aka body mass index –  is the ratio between weight and height. Each girl’s BMI will have to be registered on a specific certificate signed by a qualified occupational doctor and, if the index turns out to be less than 18 ( the equivalent of a 1.75 tall woman who weighs 55 kg), the girl will be forbidden from modeling. In addition to this, the transgressors will have to pay a fine of 75k euro, as well as up to 6 months imprisonment. Apart from the “catwalk ban” enforcement, the law is also going to hit websites that “instigate” to become anorexic: this phenomenon is alarmingly increasing on the Internet, where “pro-ana” and “pro-mia” (abbreviations for anorexia and bulimia) pages are a big hit. These pages give you advice on how to become skinny (according to some of them, the perfect weight  lies by 35 Kg). The Synam, the national labor union for models, representing about forty brands, is definitely less at one with it, stating: “ You can’t make tailor-made lawsfor France only. We are constantly competing with other international agencies. We need a European regulation.”   The radio program Modem on Rete Unointerviewedthe well-known fashion photographer Franco Taranto, owner of  the New Faces Model Agency, based in Lugano, which discovered the top model of the moment, Greta Varlese. He says: “This is a very delicate topic, and I think that only doctors could give significant help to contain this problem. We are certainly going through a time in which thinness is too exalted, and something has to be done. Nevertheless, I don’t feel like saying that the French initiative, however understandable, is the more reasonable way to deal with it. This very strong ban – continues the photographer – can create dangerous alternatives that move the problem without solving it at its root. A serious dialogue among the parts would likely be the best way to fully understand the problem and to find a more balanced solution.” Meanwhile, in absence of  common legislative ground, the Old Continent will do with what it has got. Fashion Editor: Cristina Mutterle Translation by Lingue & Piu, www.lingueepiu.ch Photo Credits: Nanopress.it