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German Women's Mag Bans Models

'Whole industry is anorexic,' says fed-up editor

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 6, 2009 4:12 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The most popular German women's magazine is banning professional models from its editorial pages. Brigitte will use only "real woman" from now on to illustrate its stories, declared its editor, who said he was "fed up" with having to retouch pictures of underweight models who bear no resemblance to readers. "For years we've had to use Photoshop to fatten girls up," said Andreas Lebert. "This is disturbing and perverse. Models weigh around 23% less than normal women. The whole model industry is anorexic."

He's now seeking "real life" women to photograph for the magazine, which has a circulation of 700,000. A model agency spokeswoman scoffed that readers won't buy a magazine to look at ordinary women. "The fact is that women want to see clothes on beautiful, aesthetically pleasing people," she told the Guardian.

Models weigh 23% less than ordinary women, complains Brigitte editor Andreas Lebert.
Models weigh 23% less than ordinary women, complains "Brigitte" editor Andreas Lebert.   (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier leaves the runway with skinny models after his Paris collection was presented.
French fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier leaves the runway with skinny models after his Paris collection was presented.   (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 15 comments
TheRudeAwakening
Apr 15, 2010 1:18 AM CDT
I think this is the best news for the magazine community. My hope is that advertisers give their readers more credit and realize that their readers will still buy the magazine of their choice even if they use real women to illustrate its stories. Good for them...hope other take note!

Rudes
http://therudeawakening7.tumbl...
Netstorm2k10
Oct 21, 2009 9:22 AM CDT
Right on, brotha!
kyleleitch
Oct 21, 2009 6:19 AM CDT
It's up to everyone to do that though.

 
bulimia • fashion • Germany • anorexia • editor • Photoshop • editorial pages • models • magazines • women's magazines

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