Britain's fashion industry has been urged to use healthy-looking models after it refused to ban "size zero" girls from the catwalk.
The British Fashion Council (BFC) will not stop ultra-skinny models appearing in next month's London Fashion Week. Instead it is setting up a task force to develop a voluntary code of practice for the fashion industry.
The BFC, which runs the capital's bi-annual fashion event, wants designers to use only "healthy" models aged 16 and over in their shows.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said: "I urge strongly the designers taking part to support this. This is a vitally important issue, one that I have raised many times over the years.
"Too many teenage girls try to starve themselves into unhealthy thinness, at great risk to their health."
The BFC wants its task force to create "workable" guidelines to help the industry promote a healthy image to the public.
But it is falling short of following the ban imposed by Madrid and Milan fashion weeks on stick-thin models.
It said in a statement: "We have asked designers, model agencies and image makers to respect this responsibility and to use only healthy models for their collections. Additionally, we recommend that only models aged 16 or over are used.
"We believe that regulation is neither desirable nor enforceable. What will make a difference is the commitment of the fashion industry to change attitudes through behaviour and education."
The BFC has not clarified what it means by "healthy" models - nor when its voluntary code will be produced. Madrid Fashion Week last year banned models with a body mass index of less than 18 from taking part.
