Kering and LVMH, two exclusive fashion brands, announced on September 6 that a new work requirement was made for their models. The companies have been criticized for hiring models with unrealistic body standards, so the new requirement would allow models of all shapes and sizes to work for them.

This requirement became a law in France in 2015 when the government passed a bill that required models to get a physical and mental medical exam before being hired. After seeing so many models fall for diseases such as anorexia nervosa, France encouraged top brands such as Gucci, Saint Laurent, Vuitton et Dior, and others around the world to lower their model’s body standards.

According to a study conducted by the Model Health Inquiry, it found that “40% of models may currently be suffering from an eating disorder.”

This research may not seem like a great percentage to fret about; however, according to Medical News Today, “the report suggests that there is a growing number of women with hidden eating disorders.”

This is a concern because not all models will open up about their disorders, or don’t know they have one.

Models aren’t the only ones to suffer from eating disorders; their viewers are influenced by them as well. When asked if seeing more “realistic” models work for top brands such as Gucci, Christian Dior, etc. would affect the way they look at themselves, there was a mix of answers.

Erika Klejka, an LTHS junior, answered,“Yes, because all I see are skin thin models which look unhealthy.”

Being skinny isn’t always healthy, but some people have a hard time in gaining weight. This is what Josh Johnson, a Hermitage High School junior, meant when he answered, “No, there’s always going to be a girl who isn’t capable of gaining weight, and that’s going to make her feel left out.”

Since people now are trying to spread body positivity across the world, these two company’s new regulations support that positivity. More diverse models will be seen as fashion icons, not just unrealistic ones.