Swedish model Agnes Hedengard has hit out at the fashion industry’s standards, alleging that she has been denied work on the grounds she is “too big.”
In a video posted to YouTube and Facebook, the 19-year-old said she has been in contact with big agencies and clients, but when they receive her measurements they back out.
“I have worked as a model for about five years now, but up to this day I don’t get any more jobs since the industry thinks I’m too big,” she said in the English version of the video, which has garnered more than 1,343,000 views since Monday.
Hedengard, who appeared on Sweden’s Next Top Model, claims that she has been told she should “get in better shape” despite having a body mass index (BMI) of 17.5.
According to the National Institutes of Health, a BMI of below 18.5 is considered underweight.
“They think my butt is too big, and they think my hips are too wide,” she said. “According to the modeling industry, you cannot look like this, you need to be thinner.”
Hedengard said she posted the video because she wanted other people to see the fashion industry’s “absurd” standards.
Speaking to local news site the Local.se, the Association of Swedish Fashion Brands said although they couldn’t comment on individual cases, they “would like to see clear guidance and standards on a global level,” and that they “intend to continue working with [their] members and the industry to promote healthy ideals.”
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Write to Helen Regan at helen.regan@timeasia.com