Skip to main content

UK Modeling Agencies Ban The Use of Tanning Beds--Should U.S. Agencies Follow Suit?

The modeling industry may have a ways to go in terms of promoting healthy working conditions, but they're certainly taking steps in the right direction. Case in point: The leading UK model agencies have all banned the use of tanning beds by their models, reports The Daily Mail. The 11 agencies, including big-names like Elite, Premier Model Management Storm and Next, have signed up for a no tolerance policy on tanning beds, in support of Cancer Research UK's R UV UGLY campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the health risks associated with tanning salons. "Supporting this campaign makes perfect sense as the well-being of our models is of paramount importance and we take a serious approach to their health," Sarah Doukas, Managing Director of Storm Model Management said.

The modeling industry may have a ways to go in terms of promoting healthy working conditions, but they're certainly taking steps in the right direction. Case in point: The leading UK model agencies have all banned the use of tanning beds by their models, reports The Daily Mail.

The 11 agencies, including big-names like Elite, Premier Model Management Storm and Next, have signed up for a no tolerance policy on tanning beds, in support of Cancer Research UK's R UV UGLY campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the health risks associated with tanning salons.

"Supporting this campaign makes perfect sense as the well-being of our models is of paramount importance and we take a serious approach to their health," Sarah Doukas, Managing Director of Storm Model Management said.

"We hope that this will help to send out a strong message to young girls and guys that sunbeds will have a negative impact on their appearance," Michelangelo Chiacchio, the CEO of Elite Model Management London, added. Indeed, creating healthier practices and standards for models helps to promote awareness among the general population, who look to models as the ideal in beauty and health.

Scroll to Continue

Recommended Articles

And besides, you know, causing cancer, it's no secret that the use of tanning beds can seriously speed up the aging process--something models and their agencies no doubt want to avoid. "Using sunbeds can make your skin coarse, leathery and wrinkly," Chris Lunn, SunSmart campaign manager at Cancer Research UK said.

The UK has already made strides in creating a healthier working environment for models--ensuring models are above the age of 16, and promoting greater awareness of eating disorders--and this is certainly another positive development. However, the U.S. has not been as successful so far, and in the recent buzz surrounding the CFDA's health initiative guidelines, the use of tanning beds was not mentioned. Do you think American modeling agencies should ban the use of tanning beds?

Related Stories

Business

New Israeli Law Bans Use of Underweight Models

Much has been made of the link between the skinny (often too skinny) models we see in campaigns, on the runways, in magazines, and eatings disorders. The logic goes that women are presented with unrealistically skinny models and feel pressured to look like them. But never before have government policies been enforced to prevent too-skinny models (or models that have been digitally altered to be too thin) from being used. In a landmark decision, Israel passed a law on Monday that bans the use of underweight models in local ads and publications. It marks the first attempt by any government to tackle the fashion industry's connection to the growing rate of eating disorders, the AP is reporting. The new law will require that models produce a medical report, dating back no longer than three months, at each shoot to prove they are not malnourished by World Health Organization standards. By those standards, models with a body mass index of less than 18.5 will be considered malnourished and will be prevented from working. What's more, any advertisement published for the Israeli market will have to clearly disclose if the model used was digitally altered to appear thinner.

By Hayley Phelan
Business

Israel Bans Underweight Models, But Don’t Expect America to Follow Suit

Israel's new law banning too-skinny models from appearing in advertisements went into effect yesterday. Even before Israel's law passed, both Madrid and Milan banned models with a BMI under 18.5 from their fashion weeks. In New York, however, no such strict restrictions have been issued; and according to CFDA CEO Steven Kolb, none will.

By Dhani Mau
Business

Vogue Will No Longer Work With Unhealthy-Looking or Under-16 Models

They may not agree on everything, but the 19 international editors of Vogue are in assent on at least on topic: The health and wellbeing of models and readers alike. To that end, all of them have recently banded together to promote healthier body image within the industry and beyond in a Vogue-wide Health Initiative, to be unveiled in Vogue UK's June issue. The new initiative will make several efforts to improve models' working conditions, as well as promote healthier body images for readers. While the language in the new manifesto, which was posted on Vogue Italia, is a bit noncommittal at times, the new initiative is without a doubt a step in the right direction--and it should make a big impact on the kind of models and editorials we see in the magazines.

By Hayley Phelan
Business

Ford Cops to Repping Underage Models This Season Despite CFDA Guidelines: Does This Mean Age Restrictions Are Unrealistic?

The CFDA's new health initiative guidelines--which stipulate, among other things, that models be ID'd to show they are above 16 years of age--have been met, for the most part, with glowing support from the fashion industry. Or so it seems. Because despite the industry's best intentions, actually following the new rules is a whole other ballgame. Designers Tory Burch and Tommy Hilfiger both told the New York Times that models that are either too young or too thin are still being sent to them by casting agencies. Burch said she was concerned for some models who walked through her door during this season's casting. "There is still an issue, and there is still a lot of work to be done,” she said. “There have been positive steps. But I see some girls coming in who are really emaciated. It is still a problem.” Here's the problem:

By Hayley Phelan