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12. 10. 09. - 15:00

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12. 10. 09. - 15:00

Fed-up fashionistas choose plus size models

Fed-up fashion bosses have scrapped skinny models after searching far and wide for a new size-18 superstar.

German style magazine Brigitte held its own plus size beauty contest in Berlin after announcing a ban on super thin size zero models.

Now food sciences student Saskia Grimm, 21, has been hailed the new shape of German fashion after winning the contest.

More than 2,500 contestants were not only judged on their looks but how happy they are with their self-image and their body shapes.

Saskia said: "I have always been on the large size and wanted to show other women that they don't need to be ashamed. They should love their curves."

She has now been signed by the Louisa Models agency and will be doing a photo shoot for a new clothing catalogue next month.

The contest follows an announcement from Brigitte whose editor-in-chief said that he was fed up with retouching "anorexic" girls and claimed today's models weigh 23 per cent less than normal women.

"From 2010 we will no longer work with professional models," said Andreas Lebert, editor-in-chief.

He added he was "fed up" with having to re-touch pictures of underweight models who bore no resemblance to ordinary women.

"For years we've had to use Photoshop to fatten the girls up," he said. "Especially their thighs, and boobs. But this is disturbing and perverse and what has it got to do with our real reader?"

Austrian Times

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