New model army

THEY are tall, brunette, super-pretty and their thighs are not much thicker than my upper arms, and I meet them in a flat in a trendy part of London. So they're not exactly the kind of women to man the barricades or set up a picket line, then?

The models Dunja Knezevic and Victoria Keon-Cohen, who between them have worked for Topshop, M&S, Levi's and Armani, are plotting nothing less than a revolution within the fashion industry. Late last year, after 12 months of negotiation, 26-year-old Knezevic and 21-year-old Keon-Cohen announced the founding of a "models committee" within the actors' union Equity, the first step towards the unionisation of their model colleagues.

Their aim is to regulate notoriously unclear, and often abusive, working conditions – what they call "lewd behaviour" towards models, and the pressuring of young girls to lose dangerous amounts of weight.

An eating disorders expert, Professor Janet Treasure, has opined in the pages of the British Journal of Psychiatry that ultra-thin models in fashion magazines and catwalk shows are 'a dangerous influence' on society, saying they are not only putting their lives at risk but also threatening the health of young girls who aspire to be like them.

Yet while they are villified for portraying an unrealistic body image, it should be highlighted that professional models are themselves under pressure from the designers and magazine editors who employ them to maintain extreme slenderness.

Since the official launch five weeks ago at London Fashion Week, Equity has already signed up several hundred models as members. The models know many of the industry's dirty secrets, aside from the tyranny of having to stay thin: chief among them is the issue of long working hours for low pay. "In our industry models lack even the right to a single break in a 12-hour day," said Keon-Cohen.

Stories told to Equity by models during negotiations to set up the branch include a girl who suffered an extreme allergic reaction when her body was painted with car paint for a photoshoot, while a male model said his scalp started to bleed after too much peroxide was put on his hair. Models complained that frequently, while working long hours, they were given nothing to eat.

Keon-Cohen and Knezevic say that a greater number of models in the industry has led to models becoming like "disposable labour", meaning individuals are unwilling to complain about exploitation for fear of being blacklisted.

In essence, these two models are seeking a top-to-toe reassessment of working relationships between models and clients, agencies, bookers and photographers. They believe the police should investigate some practices. Knezevic has cited clients and photographers sleeping with girls who are below the age of consent, and under-16s pressured into doing nude photo shoots. "It's not recognised as sexual harassment because it's normal. Models don't know any better because it comes with the job."

Supermodel Erin O'Connor, who set up a "models' sanctuary" for stressed-out colleagues at her west London flat during Fashion Week, is a big supporter. "Erin has been great," says Knezevic. "She's a great role model, and really cares about welfare issues."

"Girls and boys can be so young when they start modelling that they are really vulnerable," says Keon-Cohen, an Australian who started modelling at 15. "You travel a lot in this job, often without family or friends, or any kind of support at all. The only people you can turn to in those situations are the people you're working with, and they are not always the right people to rely on. The idea is that the union provides them with independent support."

Equity spokesman Martin McGrath says the industry response has been overwhelmingly positive: "We've been working with the agencies and the British Fashion Council. The agencies recognise that there are issues within the industry that need to be addressed and better treatment of models is in their interests."

It is still too early to see if the union will be effective in tackling the issue of too-thin models, but Laura Craik, a London-based fashion editor, believes the move is overdue: "I hope the industry welcomes the initiative. It is terrible that models have been exempt from the protection that actors and other employees have for so long enjoyed. I only hope that Equity steps up to the plate, as I imagine that models have far worse situations to deal with than actors."

Both women, successful working models represented by global agencies, say the high-profile role they have taken has not, so far, damaged their careers. "The reaction (since we went public] has been very positive, from our agencies and clients," says Knezevic. Both the British Fashion Council and the Association of Model Agents have been supportive, they say.

Five of the biggest model agencies – Premier, IMG, Select, Storm and Models 1 – would not comment, but smaller agencies seem keen to pledge support. "As an agency owner I see the models' welfare as paramount," says Alex J of Cape, "if a union helps then I'm all for it." Amanda Ashed, owner of Looks London, which has both actors and models on its books, says: "Equity is extremely good, and when something is wrong it's reassuring to know that they are there. I'd happily advise my models to join."

Membership fees to Equity are on a sliding scale in line with income: a model earning less than £20,000 a year will pay £125 annually, while the most successful, on incomes of more than £200,000, will pay more than £2,000. The models receive the same treatment as all other Equity members, including access to legal advice and insurance deals. Membership is completely anonymous, so agents cannot discriminate against models who join.

Chief among their concerns is the promotion of better nutrition and healthy eating. Both women gave their views to Baroness Kingsmill's Model Health Inquiry, the independent panel established last year. The inquiry recommended regular health checks by agencies, and (to Knezevic and Keon-Cohen's delight) the establishment of a union.

The way the lay person imagines the industry, I tell them, even the skinniest models are regularly told by arrogant designers that they're way too fat. Is that a true reflection? "Well, they don't say, 'Oh, lose five kilos, lose 10 kilos,' It's not that blatant," says Knezevic. "But I have been measured, and the client gave me this kind of look." She mimes a scoffing look of amazement. "Which only meant one thing. Or they try clothes on you at castings and say, 'Oh no, that's too tight,' and you're thinking 'Wow, these clothes are tiny, but maybe I should try harder to fit into them.'."

It would be a mistake to think that they were flirting with the idea, or lacked commitment. As well as formulating codes of practice for photoshoots and catwalk shows, they are starting to address the less glamorous aspects of employment rights: health and safety at work, pension provision, accident insurance. "You might be asked to swim in the ocean in the middle of winter," says Knezevic. "Models get sick. We need health insurance, and Equity has benefits like that. It has lawyers. It can offer advice on pensions."

Both women have politics and civil liberties in their blood. Keon-Cohen's father was a reforming barrister in Australia involved in the landmark case that established the principle of Aboriginal land rights. Knezevic, who comes originally from Bosnia, was taught politics at the dinner table by her activist father.

They agree that London is much kinder to models than Paris, New York and Milan. But there's a catch here, too. The globalisation of the fashion industry has seen a new wave of women from Russia and Eastern Europe arriving in the major fashion cities, and London-based girls can't always insist on higher standards if others won't insist on them too.

Even the Model Health Inquiry admitted the international careers of UK models might be harmed if they were discouraged from losing some weight. "There are lots of pretty blonde girls with blue eyes," says Keon-Cohen, "and if one of them doesn't like what's going on, then another can take her place."

"It's difficult for girls from Russia," says Knezevic. "Often they are earning money to send home to very poor families and their parents just can't afford to fly around the world with them. We definitely believe in having a chaperone, but some girls as young as 15 aren't being accompanied."

So what can Knezevic and Keon-Cohen do to stop a desperate teenage model being exploited in a foreign country? "We are trying to encourage better communication with their parents and families abroad. We'd also like to encourage them to improve their language skills, so are looking into organising language courses," says Knezevic.

Knezevic and Keon-Cohen now plan a "model-led" conference for September this year, to which they will invite representatives from all aspects of the fashion business to thrash out some of the most urgent issues. Their tone is conciliatory, but determined.

But whether they have the power to change an industry which routinely expects young girls to bend to the rules it sets is questionable. They might not have the brawn for a fight – not even, actually, for an arm-wrestle – but they've certainly got the wits.

High-profile models who have used their famous faces to promote good causes.

CHRISTY TURLINGTON

THE 39-year-old American supermodel transformed herself from heavy smoker to anti-tobacco activist after her father, a former Pan Am pilot, died from lung cancer in 1997.

She herself was confronted with suspected symptoms of early-stage emphysema during a health check at the age of 31, though – thankfully – further tests proved that not to be the case.

After giving up the fags, Turlington gained 10lb (4.5kg) in weight and as a result much criticism from the fashion industry, but said: "It led me to rethink my career. I would rather be ten pounds heavier, tobacco-free and happy." In 2000 she took part in a British government-backed TV campaign to promote the NHS Smoking Helpline.

NAOMI CAMPBELL

SIX months ago Campbell teamed up with fellow supermodel Iman to launch a campaign against race discrimination in the fashion industry. Despite being one of the world's most famous and highly paid models, Campbell revealed that she had had to resort to "extraordinary measures" in order to overcome resistance at using non-white models on magazine covers and in catwalk shows. She was featured on the cover of French Vogue only after the couturier Yves St Laurent threatened to cut his ties with the magazine if they refused to do so.

YASMIN LE BON

BACK in 1991, the exquisitely beautiful British model showed a more serious side when she supported a Friends of the Earth campaign to preserve the Malaysian rainforest. Drawing on her natural assets, Le Bon posed topless for a photograph which was auctioned by the charity to raise funds for further campaigning. She then went on a trip to Malaysia while six months pregnant with her second child, to be photographed and interviewed by Hello! magazine, while highlighting the problems of logging in the region.

HELENA CHRISTENSEN

NOW 40, Christensen still takes on modelling assignments but these days is happier on the other side of the lens, having established a second career for herself as a professional photographer. She recently photographed her eight-year-old son, Mingus, for a set of five special Royal Mail stamps which were subsequently autographed by the Danish beauty and sold on internet auction site eBay to raise money for domestic violence charity Women's Aid.