One of the long standing debates in fashion modeling is the health of the extremely slim girls that walk the catwalks the world over.
Spain made headlines recently when it banned models deemed underweight according to Body Mass Index or BMI calculations.
Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.
Widely regarded as a publicity stunt for an otherwise overlooked Fashion Week, the move sparked much debate in the Fashion World as models and designers alike defended the slim looks saying that models are naturally built tall and slim and it did not reflect poor eating habits or more serious eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
Adding a completely new perspective to the issue is designer John Paul Gaultier who this week sent a "plus sized" model down his runway.
What the designer is trying to add to the debate with this gesture no one is quite sure but as much as anorexia is a disease so is obesity. Healthy eating habits are based on moderation and going to either extreme, be it underweight or overweight, does not represent a fit person. Making a fashion statement with weight might seem like a good idea to designers who espouse heroin chic or plus size models but health should always come before fashion.
