The presentation and idolisation of a uniform body type by the fashion industry has significant and wide-reaching consequences. 28 published empirical studies from the UK, Europe, North America and Australia have found that media images have a direct impact on how negatively or positively we view our bodies, with negative body image putting someone at a considerably heightened risk of developing an eating disorder.
Eating disorders affect 1.6 million people in the UK, 89% of whom are female. 14-25 year olds are the demographic most affected by an eating disorder, with 5% of girls and women suffering from anorexia—the most deadly psychiatric disease (10-20% of cases are fatal).
It is time for the fashion industry to recognise that it can and must effect change in this area.
The #NoSizeFitsAll campaign coincides with London Fashion Week and makes 4 asks:
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We are calling on the British Fashion Council to commit to ensuring that fashion designers showing at London Fashion Week show 2 different sample sizes in every range, one of which must be a UK size 12 and above;
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We are campaigning for a change in the law so that fashion models below a BMI of 18.5 must be seen by one of an accredited list of medical health professionals, and deemed well before a modelling agency is allowed to sign them.
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We are asking for a commitment from UK-based fashion publications to include a minimum of one plus-size (UK size 12 or above) editorial fashion spread in every issue.
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We believe that body image awareness must be made a mandatory and core component of personal, social, health education (PSHE) in schools, with a specific focus on media depictions of beauty, delivered by trained experts as opposed to teachers who specialise in unrelated disciplines.
The softly, softly approach has been tried for years and is not working. Instead of waiting for industry-led change, #NoSizeFitsAll is about taking the initiative. The time has come to demand change.