Stakeholder attitudes towards fashion policy in the U.S.: strategic research for the protection of models and prevention of body image and eating concerns

Abstract

ABSTRACT The fashion industry’s focus on extreme thinness has been described as contributing to risk for disordered eating behaviors among fashion models, as well as the general public through the promotion of unattainable appearance ideals. As a result, increased interest in policy solutions that could alleviate the pressure placed on both models and the general public has emerged. The aim of the study was to build on prior research with fashion models to identify potential policy actions judged to be impactful and feasible to extend the research to other allied professionals within the fashion industry. The goal of this study is to inform ongoing efforts to implement effective policy. Individual interviews were conducted with n = 14 allied professionals from the fashion industry in the U.S. (including casting, creative, and modeling agency professionals), who were asked to evaluate seven potential policy initiatives in terms of their feasibility and capacity to positively impact fashion models. The two policies that were judged most positively included the requirement for models to seek a checkup from a healthcare provider twice a year and for compensation for models’ work to be monetary and agreed upon. The opinions regarding the other five potential policy initiatives were either mixed or negative. Interviewees identified a number of barriers and facilitators for each of the seven potential policies. As efforts to implement policy in the fashion industry continue, these findings are critical for policymakers and community advocates to take into account.