British fashion magazines agree to ban "anorexic" models - not!

June 27, 2000 - First it was announced that British fashion magazines would form a self-regulatory body to "monitor images" and to "use models who varied in shape and size."

A day later, the editors of four of Britain's leading fashion magazines, Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan and New Woman, accused Liz Jones, editor of British Marie Claire, of using the situation as a "promotional tool" in an open letter.

Exactly what happened has not been determined.

Tessa Jowell, the British Minister for Women, had organized a "body summit" as a response to the growing concern that the ultra thin models pictured in Britain's fashion and teen magazines was contributing to eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.

"The fashion industry is a very rarefied world and I think it has become a bit divorced from reality recently," said Ms. Jones.

The Cabinet Office agreed that the idea of an organization had been brought up by several at the conference and discussed but no decision had been made. Ms. Jones was not available for comments.