MADRID. (Reuters) - The world's first ban on overly thin models at a
top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling
agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other catwalk
pageants.

Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after
protests that young girls and women were trying to copy their
rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders.

Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health,
rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.

But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modeling agency, said the fashion
industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and
bulimia.

"I think its outrageous, I understand they want to set this tone of
healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the
model and what about the freedom of the designer," said Gould, Elite's
North America director, adding that the move could harm careers of
naturally "gazelle-like" models.

Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed
restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia.
It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy
body images.

"Fashion is a mirror and many teenagers imitate what they see on the
catwalk," said regional official Concha Guerra.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti told an Italian newspaper
this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it
could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

QUALITY, NOT SIZE

The Madrid show is using the body mass index or BMI -- based on weight
and height -- to measure models. It has turned away 30 percent of
women who took part in the previous event. Medics will be on hand at
the September 18-22 show to check models.

Under the Madrid ruling, models must have a BMI rating of around 18.
That would disqualify top Spanish model Esther Canadas, and
supermodels like Kate Moss, based on unofficial records of their
height and weight.

"The restrictions could be quite a shock to the fashion world at the
beginning, but I'm sure it's important as far as health is concerned,"
said Leonor Perez Pita, director of Madrid's show, also known as the
Pasarela Cibeles.

When asked if they supported controls, seven Spanish designers showing
at Madrid either declined to comment or said they did not want to
become involved in the controversy. Designers in Milan gave a similar
response.

A spokeswoman for the Association of Fashion Designers of Spain, which
represents those at Madrid fashion week, said the group supported
restrictions and its concern was the quality of collections, not the
size of models.

Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and
designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules
would be followed.

"If they don't go along with it the next step is to seek legislation,
just like with tobacco," said Carmen Gonzalez of Spain's Association
in Defense of Attention for Anorexia and Bulimia, which has campaigned
for restrictions since the 1990s.

Elite's Gould said fashion was not to blame for eating disorders that
usually started at home due to poor eating habits and constant dieting
by mothers.

So far, Madrid's move has yet to spark a worldwide trend toward
catwalk shows with curvier figures.

London Fashion Week said in a statement it would not put restrictions
on what type of models its designers use.