Victoria Beckham Criticized For Using Skinny Models At New York Fashion Week

Victoria Beckham is once again under fire for using incredibly skinny models for her runway show after debuting her spring 2016 collection at New York Fashion Week.

Victoria Beckham Thin Model Controversy

Though Beckham’s new line of clothing has been praised, the models she used to display them have been a source of controversy for the former Spice Girl.

“We know that some young women suffering from eating disorders take these types of photos [of models] and put them inside their wardrobe doors, using them as a goal to work towards,” said Lorna Garner, chief operating officer of the eating disorder charity B-eat, according to The Guardian.

“These type of images do not cause eating disorders but they escalate and exacerbate existing conditions,” Garner added. “There is overwhelming evidence that points to these images having a very negative and damaging effect.”

A photo posted by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 14, 2015 at 7:27am PDT

Sam Smethers, chief executive of equality organization the Fawcett Society, echoed what Garner had to say. “The models [Victoria Beckham] has used look uniformly painfully thin and the image that gives to young women in particular is quite damaging,” Smethers said. “Victoria Beckham is a role model. She’s in a really powerful position and could really challenge those norms and stereotypes if she wanted to.”

A photo posted by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 13, 2015 at 9:51am PDT

Following the fashion show earlier this week, Beckham didn’t seem to be aware that Twitter would soon be exploding with criticism of her model casting. “It’s a collection for all shapes and sizes,” she told reporters. “I always say it, but I just want women to feel like the best versions of themselves.”

Back in 2010, during the earlier days of Beckham’s career as a designer, she was misquoted as saying that she would ban all skinny models from her runway shows. While the onetime singer denied saying such a thing, she did express her intention not to use “very skinny” models.

“It may surprise you to hear, I never actually said that,” she said of the skinny model ban declaration. “Models are thin. I do take my position seriously, and I wouldn’t want to use very skinny girls.”