Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman praised for calls to end size zero

Miss Shulman accused designers of an “increasingly disturbing” practice of sending fashion magazines “minuscule” clothes for fashion shoots, which forced editors to hire models with “jutting bones and no breasts or hips”.
Eleni Renton, a leading model agent who has pioneered the use of healthy-looking girls, said: “It is about time that somebody stood up to the designers, and it is hugely brave of Alexandra to come out and say there is a problem.
“It has become ridiculous and for too long, designers have been getting away with making clothes that are simply not designed for normal women.”
Hilary Alexander, the Telegraph’s fashion director, said: “I totally support Alex and addressing this issue is long overdue.
“Her call now needs to be backed by all the other glossy magazine editors, who must join the chorus if they want to see a change within the fashion industry. One lone voice will not be enough.”
Emma Healey of Beat, the charity that supports people affected by eating disorders, said: “This is very welcome. The whole controversy over size zero models has been a wake up call.
“It is very encouraging to see Vogue taking a stance like this.” Miss Shulman said that clothes created by designers for the catwalk which were then sent to magazines for photoshoots had become “substantially smaller” and that Vogue now had to “retouch” photographs “to make the models appear larger”.
In a letter to fashion houses including Prada, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel, Miss Shulman wrote: “We have now reached a point where many of the sample sizes don’t comfortably fit even the established star models. “Instead, we have to use girls with jutting bones and no breasts or hips, to fit them.”