"MAYOR AND SPONSORS SHOULD WITHDRAW FUNDING FROM LONDON FASHION WEEK" - DOOCEY

11.24.52am GMT Thu 25th Jan 2007

Liberal Democrat Culture Spokesperson on the London Assembly, Dee Doocey, has slammed today's announcement by the British Fashion Council to refuse to ban the use of models whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is less than 18 in London Fashion Week.

Dee Doocey is currently meeting with representatives of model agencies and fashion magazines to discuss the wider problem of seriously underweight models.

Dee Doocey, said:

"The British Fashion Council is putting profits ahead of women's health.

'I am appalled that after a month of statements of 'concern' about skinny models issued by the head of the British Fashion Council, that they have agreed to take no action.

'Vowing to use 'healthy' models is meaningless and pure tokenism. The British Fashion Council had the opportunity to make a real difference to the healthy of impressionable young girls by following the examples of Madrid and Milan. Today they have given the British fashion industry a bad name with this cowardly and irresponsible decision.

'Money talks and it seems quite clear that the only way we are going to see any action on this front is if the purse strings for London Fashion Week are pulled. If Milan can do it why can't London?

'The Mayor has a statuary duty to protect the health of Londoners. He must take the lead and immediately withdraw his funding of London Fashion Week and encourage and encourage other sponsors to do the same." ENDS

Notes to the Editors

1. At a London Assembly Plenary in September, Dee Doocey pushed the Chair of the London Development Agency, Mary Reilly to agree to withhold finding for London fashion week if they did not agree to ban the use of models whose BMI is less than 18.

Dee Doocey AM: I understand how the event works. In fact, in a previous life I was responsible for part of the London Fashion Week, so I know how it works and how important it is. But I have a real concern that the Mayor has a duty to promote health and well-being and to have regard to health in all of his strategies. It does not seem to fit that one of the GLA group is funding an event that is definitely encouraging skinny models, people who are just not the right role models. You are probably aware that in addition to the cross-party support, there was a letter in the Evening Standard last night signed by 40 doctors and health professionals saying that we should stop making skinny models into icons. The difficulty is you are in a position to put some pressure on the London Fashion Week to take account of the widespread concern there is across all parties. I believe that you really ought to be doing that, because one in 40 women has either bulimia or anorexia, and the girls are getting younger and younger that are being influenced by these people. We are going to end up with a major health problem in this country and I would urge you to use your power by withdrawing a grant in order to get them to see sense and follow what Milan have done.

Mary Reilly (Chair, LDA): And Madrid.

Dee Doocey AM: And Madrid, yes.

Mary Reilly (Chair, LDA): I entirely agree, not just in my position as Chair of the LDA but as a mother of a teenage daughter, I totally agree. Tessa Jowell has been quite explicit on this and yes, that is exactly what we are going to do.

2. London Fashion week runs from 11-16 February 2007