Italy's fashion industry has a clue?

What does it take before the Italian fashion industry realizes that girls are starving themselves to model?  Apparently one death due to anorexia is not enough.  According to The Independent, when Madrid imposed its minimum BMI requirement on models:

"Italy initially refused to take action. Mario Boselli, the head of Italy's Camera Nazionale della Moda, which represents houses such as Prada, Versace, and Armani, said: "Our models have no need of regulation." But following the death of a second model, the Brazilian Ana Carolina Reston, in November, the chamber has had second thoughts. The 21-year-old, who was 5'8" tall, weighed just over six stone at her death."

Unfortunately, the Italian Fashion Industry didn't come to this conclusion on its own.  It was harangued by the Italian minister for youth, Giovanna Melandri, to consider self-regulation.

There is a January deadline for establishing rules, so that they can be implemented ahead of February's fashion week in Milan. 

All hope that "the greatest number possible of those in the fashion industry will sign up". "The Camera della Moda will take action against designers who do not respect the manifesto," Mario Boselli said. "They could be removed from the fashion calendar, or in the most serious cases, banned from the fashion week altogether."

Let's say Milan imposes the same minimum BMI requirement as Madrid.  Namely, 18.  The models will remain awfully thin.  They just won't have knobby knees and visible collarbones and the look of someone who desperately needs a sandwich instead of a cigarette.  And do we really need those things to appreciate beautiful clothes?

Of course, the list of "supermodels" with a BMI below 18 is impressive.  It includes Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bundchen, Claudia Schiffer.  Fortunately, there are lots of gorgeous women to choose from.  And some of them might even eat healthy.