‘Corpse or model?’: Magazine faces backlash over underweight model Source: Supplied
A DANISH fashion magazine has made a public apology after running an image of an underweight model in its latest issue.
The photo in Cover magazine started trending on social media via the hashtag #covergate and spawned a Reddit thread called ‘Corpse or model?’, where thousands expressed their outrage over the model’s emaciated frame.
Even politicians weighed in. Danish Tax Minister Benny Englebrecht took to Twitter to voice his disapproval.
“I seriously thought that the fashion industry had understood that anorexia is a problem that should be taken seriously,” he wrote.
Troede seriøst at modebranchen havde fattet at anoreksi er et problem der skal tages alvorligt #covergate #føj pic.twitter.com/HLqSgI79WF
— Benny Engelbrecht (@BennyEngelbrech) February 19, 2015 Cover magazine’s founder Malene Malling apologised on the magazine’s Facebook page, calling it a “sad day”.
“I have not lived up to my responsibility as a publisher, woman and mother and am truly sorry. “At Cover we have, in all the years, worked to show an expanded beauty ideal,” she said. “[To] show that you can be beautiful in various ages and various sizes. We have always sought to work with healthy girls. Just two months ago we had plus-size model Diana Graham on the front of the Cover, so it is certainly a subject we focus on.”
The fashion industry is frequently criticised for featuring underweight models in runway shows, magazines and ad campaigns.
In 2010, French model Isabelle Caro died due to complications from anorexia nervosa.
She famously posed naked for an Italian ad campaign called ‘No Anorexia’ when she weighed just 26kg, to highlight the dangerous and deadly effects of eating disorders.
Isabelle Caro became a poster girl for anorexia nervosa. This Italian ad campaign ran in Milan in 2007. Photo: Venturelli/WireImage. Source: Getty Images
In April last year, Aussie fashion designer Alex Perry said he made a “serious lack of judgment” by sending stick-thin model Cassi van den Dungen down the runway during Fashion Week.
Former Marie Claire editor Jackie Frank wrote to van den Dungen’s modelling agency at the time, demanding to know why they had allowed her to work.
“When I saw those legs I nearly died. I rang the model’s agent and said ‘Why is that girl walking down the runway when she’s clearly not healthy?,” Frank told The Daily Telegraph.
Cassi van den Dungen denied she had an eating disorder, posting a photo of food to Instagram with the caption, “Lunch. Nice to have a break between shows. #lovefood #ilovemyjob #modellife #iamwhoiam #dealwithit.”
Cassi Van Den Dungen during the Alex Perry show at 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Source: News Corp Australia
