Milan creates a charter

The Italian fashion industry came out with a "charter" yesterday that contains some good news.  First, they are banning the use of models under the age of 16.  It's shocking, in the first place, that children are pulled away from their homes and schools to pursue work in such a taxing and mercurial industry.  However, as a preliminary step, this is better than nothing, and certainly better than a minimum age of 14.

Second, models will be required to show proof of health or be barred from fashion shows.  The charter also says that those models with "apparent eating disorders" will also be barred.  What this health certificate will actually mean is anyone's guess.  Unlike Madrid, there appears to be no specific minimum BMI required, only that BMI will be one of several health criteria.  I can't help but wonder if there will be unscrupulous doctors who will certify the health of models, whether they are healthy or not.  Maybe those same doctors who used to prescribe diet drugs to help already thin young models to lose weight.

Is this progress?  Well, at least prominent Italians in the fashion industry are no longer saying bone-headed things like only one model in a hundred is too skinny.  Mario Boselli, the head of the Italian National Fashion Chamber, who uttered that statement a few months ago looked pretty stupid when another model died of anorexia related complications.  It's no surprise that Boselli and his industry have begun to explore self-regulation.  To do otherwise would leave them vulnerable to criticism every time a model faints during a show in Milan.