Vogue bans models who look too thin

Vogue magazine, perhaps the world's top arbiter of style, is making a statement about its own models: too thin is no longer "in".

The 19 editors of Vogue magazines around the world – whose publisher Condé Nast is based in New York – announcement on Wednesday.

They agreed to "not knowingly work with models under the age of 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder," and said they will ask casting directors to check IDs at photo shoots and fashion shows and for ad campaigns.

The move is an important one for the fashion world, said model Sara Ziff, who was discovered at 14 and has since founded The Model Alliance, dedicated to improving the working conditions of models and persuading the industry to take better care of its young members. "Most editions of Vogue regularly hire models who are minors, so for Vogue to commit to no longer using models under the age of 16 marks an evolution in the industry," she said.