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Patty Huntington
Sunday, September 16, 2007 at 12:20pm

Bring on the bling â just donât let it be modelled by anyone under the age of consent.

That was the combined message of day one of London Fashion Week as designers put their own glittering spin on New Yorkâs eye popping colour palette while mulling over the decision to ban underage models this season - a ban that of course would have precluded the involvement of Britainâs greatest modelling stars, Twiggy and Kate Moss. The first started work at 15, the second, 14.

On Friday the Model Health Inquiry, engineered by the British Fashion Council, banned under-16s from this weekâs runways. Making a total of 14 recommendations, including mandatory criminal record checks for all those working with under 16s, the report however fell short of imposing a BMI minimum on participating models.

British Fashion Council chief executive Hilary Riva warned that any designers who use under 16s risk repercussions.

âI would make the decision whether or not they get to show again on scheduleâ Riva told NEWS.com.au.

A favourite of the late Princess of Wales, designer Caroline Charles said she believed young models definitely needed to be protected â and strictly chaperoned by responsible adults, âNot the boyfriend, or the driverâ said Charles. But Charles also conceded that such has been the media pressure on the British Fashion Council to do take some initiative in the skinny model debate â that under-16s may have become the controversyâs fall girls.

âI think it will probably passâ said Charles, of the under-age ban.

But an unofficial under-16 boycott may in fact have already been in place in London. Belarusian runway star Tanya Dziahileva told NEWS.com.au that she was unable to model in London last season because of her age. Dziahileva turned 16 in June, but has been working for the worldâs biggest fashion names on runways in New York, Milan and Paris since she was 14.

âI think itâs really sillyâ said Sydney model Alexandra Agoston-OâConnor, backstage after the Ashley Isham show. Now 19, Agoston-OâConnor started modelling in Australia at 15, as did Gemma Ward. âI understand where theyâre coming from but I donât think that (young models) is the pinnacle of the problem. I think theyâre kind of using it as an excuse almostâ.

Isham, a London-based Singaporean well-known for his glittering eveningwear, staged his show inside the Royal Opera House. Following an elegant series of draped, full-length jersey gowns with jewelled bodices in white, platinum and amethyst â with one very striking draped gown colourblocked in poppy red and violet - Ishamâs showstoppers were 15 spectacular, sculptured gowns fashioned from printed hologram foil and giant âPost-itâ notes of coloured vinyl.

British red carpet favourite Ben de Lisi deployed giant plastic paillettes to decorate his fuschia and ultraviolet shift dresses and sheaths. Caroline Charles showed a Bollywood-inspired series of evening columns that were heavily encrusted with coloured crystals.

London-based Brazilian designer Daniella Helayel showed her Issa brand inside the Royal Horticultural Hall, with two international celebrities in her front row: American actresses Tara Reid and Amanda Peet.

A dress specialist noted for her silk jersey dresses in bright prints, Helayel showed striped ponchos, some striking colourblocked maxi dresses in mint, lemon, baby pink and sky blue as well as her own sparkling eveningwear in the form of some heavily-encrusted kaftans and a crystal playsuit.

âI think the dresses are absolutely beautiful - theyâre sexy, theyâre funâ said Tara Reid afterwards. âI think that by far itâs the best collection sheâs ever hadâ.

havent had much time to be on here this busy month but logging on and seeing this- a quick view from LFW here- mixed views. It seems that the formulation of the 16 recommendation came from many different angles and not all what is being said in the press. Erin will tell you that one of the reasons is that, it is recognised that some younger girls have bodies that some older models crave for and it was felt that putting on young girls would put too much pressure on older models to be unhealthy!!! This is not all about protecting young girls. The age recommendation is nuts. Every model should be taken on her merits, looks, health, attitude, etc and to say that someone of 15yrs 9 months should not appear is just ageism.

Alicia
xx