© europics.at

12. 10. 09. - 15:00

• more Around the World news
• RSS Feed Around the World

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

Austrian women artists for Haiti
An exhibition and auction by a leading Austrian artist raised 4,500 Euros for female victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Government reveals harsh 2011 budget cut plans
The coalition government has announced drastic plans for higher taxes next year in its bid to reduce the Austrian budget deficit.

Freestyle ski and snowboard event on Semmering
A snowboarding and freestyle skiing contest that was open to all took place at Semmering this weekend.

Strabag bags €40mn Saudi order
Austrian construction company Strabag SE won two assignments in Saudi Arabia together worth 40 million Euros, it has been announced.

Generali Bank has new leadership
Generali Bank reported yesterday (Mon) that it had new leadership following a meeting of its supervisory board.

Skier almost hangs himself on a cable
A skier is in a critical state after skiing into a piste grooming machine cable on Sunday evening at the Wagrain ski area in Salzburg, police said yesterday (Mon).

Media Insider: Journalism Without Borders
As David Rogers reports - An Austrian-based journalist, an Austrian charity and an Austrian marketing company have teamed up to offer help to those in the media spotlight once the media has moved on.

Vienna 'centre of Mafia money-laundering operation'
Vienna was the linchpin of a Mafia money-laundering operation by Italian telecom firms between 2005 and 2007, it emerged yesterday (Mon).

Military frontier patrols useless, says report
Military patrols of Austria’s eastern frontiers are practically useless in terms of increasing public security, the Federal Audit Office (RH) said yesterday (Mon).

Police confiscate French couple's animals
Styrian police confiscated 12 undernourished dogs and a pot-bellied pig they found in a vehicle owned by a French couple moving from Bulgaria to Hungary today (Tues).