Size-zero ban hits Paris catwalks

Labels from Givenchy to Saint Laurent showed of their new designs at Paris Fashion Week, alongside another innovation meant to wean the industry off its association with unhealthily thin, underage models.

All said they were honoring a new charter by their parent companies LVMH and Kering, setting age and size-limits for the people parading their clothes - a timely development say campaigners, who want it to spread even further.

“I’ve seen a lot of girls have eating disorders ... (the charter) helps them from harming their bodies to fit the standard,” said model Danielle Ellesworth, 20, as she prepared for Christian Dior’s show.

Two years ago, Dior, part of LVMH, made waves by picking a 14-year-old for the catwalk - the new charter only allows people older than 16 to display adult clothes.

LVMH and Kering will also no longer use models below the French size 34 for women and 44 for men, meaning the United States’ infamous “size 0” - equivalent to a French 32 - is out.

It is still far from an industry-wide standard, and the models in Paris remained very slender and young - the stars included Kaia Gerber, the 16-year-old daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, who modeled for Kering’s Saint Laurent.

But designers, models and other insiders said it was a start that could encourage people to denounce bad practices. “It’s important that this industry takes responsibility,” said British designer Stella McCartney, after showcasing a contrasting collection of cotton T-shirts and bright taffeta skirts at Paris’ baroque Opera Garnier on Monday.