Are we 'thin-spired'? Top models react on Victoria Beckham controversy

Payal Singhal DesignerThe idea of the perfect size changes every year but the industry does expect the models to be skinny and tall In India however I feel they actually prefer girls with a little shape as they look better in indian clothes We have never particularly requested for a skinny model or not worked with a model because she wasnrsquot a size zeroA model walks the runway during the MercedesBenz Fashion Week Berlin AutumnWinter 201516 held at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin Germany PicGetty ImagesAlesia RautmodelI am aware about the Victoria Beckham controversy Luckily I have never been asked to drop size In our country we prefer curves Having said that I maintain myself by working out regularly It is a part of my lifestyle and not a necessity to make it to the ramp In India it has been size 8 constantly for the last few years Abroad it was size 0 Now I believe that size 4 has become internationally acceptedSucheta Sharma JamesmodelA certain size and height is imperative for a model to maintain because you drape any cut or style and it should look perfect Itrsquos no pressure on the model more a necessity which all models should practise if interested in ramp modelling All designers want their models to have welltoned bodies clear skin and the right work ethic I had put on weight due to a hormonal imbalance I was dropped from a fashion week but it was good I trained hard to get back in shape and now I do all possible shows in India Besides the West is a different market than India Here we want models to be a minimum size 8 which isnrsquot skinny Itrsquos healthy slim and if you train it fits perfectNethra RaghuramanmodelIndia is more forgiving as far as the fashion industry is concerned Once you are a known model and are a part of the fraternity most designers accept you as you are and give you work even if you put on or lose a few kilos while you are working It may be slightly tough when you are a newcomer The size zero trend started in the West Unfortunately India apes the West a lot which is very sad Today the West too wants more humane body types but having said that their girls are nowhere close to big Victoria Beckham is reed thin herself she probably makes clothes from that perspective People can choose not to buy those clothes They probably wonrsquot as they wonrsquot fitAmit Ranjan modelAt New York Fashion Week a model with Downrsquos Syndrome walked the ramp for another designer As models our job is to carry off the designerrsquos creation Iconic models like Tyra Banks have been beautifully voluptuous Supermodels of the 1980s like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell were a far cry from skinny but fashion has to revamp its definition every few years Also the general belief is that clothes fall well on a thin body There is pressure on models male or female to be on the thinner side Often newcomers are asked to lose weight but itrsquos part of the profession Today the idea of beauty is defined by both Beyonceacute and Victoria BeckhamSiddharth RawalmodelA model and the garment should compliment each other Either of the two being a misfit could ruin the look I have my brand of menrsquos casual shirts where the fit is its USP hence I understand that the ideal shape that the designer has in their head is based on the kind of cuts or shape heshe wants the clothes in and how it should fall Indian girls are not as skinny as some in the West Our female models work out hard this is 80 of the battle wonWeight and watchgtgt In 2006 models with a Body Mass Index BMI of 18 or under were banned from Madrid Fashion Week This rule kicked in after a model dropped dead minutes after walking off the catwalk from heart failure Hedi Slimane at the Saint Laurent SpringSummer 2013 show in Paris Pic AFPgtgt In June 2015 a Saint Laurent ad was banned by the UKrsquos Advertising Standards Authority for being ldquoirresponsiblerdquo by showing supertwiggy model Kiki Willems sprawled on the floor it called her ldquounhealthily underweightrdquo due to her visible rib cage and incredibly bony legs Saint Laurentrsquos creative director Hedi Slimane has been criticised for his choices in male models too Models at the Victoria Beckham show at MercedesBenz Fashion WeekNew York picAFPgtgtIn September 2015 France passed a surprise law making it a criminal offence to employ very skinny women on the catwalk The new law stated that anyone running an agency that employed undernourished models below an asyet undefined BMI risks a maximum sixmonth prison term and a pound55000 fineWhat was the ruckus aboutAt last weekrsquos New York Fashion Week Victoria Beckham was hauled by the UK press and social media for using very thin and very young models Womenrsquos groups called for her to use a more diverse range of body types In 2010 she had reportedly said the she took her role seriously and didnrsquot wish to use skinny girlsDesigner Victoria Beckham