Debate around skinny models has swarmed the Models Direct offices of late, with Israel banning the use of overly skinny models in ads and social platforms banning Thinspiration images being two of the most prominent stories in the modelling industry of late.

Discussing the highly controversial subject, the team here at the agency is reminded of the Topshop lookbook shots featuring skinny model Codie Young. Released last summer, the images led to some suggesting anorexia was being glamorised.

Upset by the accusations, the teen model defended her look on her blog: “This is very hurtful to me as I am naturally skinny; and anyone who knows me would know that I have been naturally skinny my entire life.”

While Talent Management thinks it’s a step in the right direction to ban the use of overly skinny models, many of whom openly admit to deliberately slimming down on their agency’s request, it’s a shame for those few models, like Young, who are genuinely naturally thin.

Following the news story and Topshop having to take down the images from their website, we were sad to have not heard much from the teen… until now that is.

It seems Young has made a revival and has popped up in Marc Jacobs’ latest campaign for new fragrance ‘Dot’. Captured by fashion photography legend Juergen Teller, we think the model looks stunning and her strawberry blonde locks beautifully accent the super-cool red bottle, which is, of course, inspired by the ever- dotty ladybird.

On her blog, the model wrote about how it felt bagging such a big modelling job and the struggles of lost opportunities: “When I found out I got confirmed for Marc Jacobs’ new fragrance I was absolutely stoked. Firstly because it will be the biggest job I have done in my career so far, secondly because I got to go to the Maldives which I previously had not been, and I really, really wanted a campaign as I had/have been working so hard and I just wanted something that people would be like wow that’s really great.

“I’m sure all of you have been in positions where you want to get or do something really badly and feel like you’re waiting and waiting for it to happen. Well that’s sort of how I felt. So when the option came up I told myself don’t get too excited it’s only an option at the moment. Because for all those who don’t know options come and go like there is know tomorrow. So when this confirmed it just made my holidays as I was at home in Australia with my family and they were all so happy for me as they knew how much it meant for me personally and for my career.”

Talent Management is pleased to hear that Young’s modelling career is finally taking a turn for the good and can’t wait to try the perfume!