THE SURVIVAL of the THINNEST

When following trends, the scales are tipped to suit the glamorously thin; designer Marc Jacobs doesn’t even make evening gowns in more than a size UK 12 (28 inch waist). Indian designers, so far don’t make Size Zero, unless it’s on order. “Mostly, our clients waver between a medium and large,” says Harmeet Bajaj, a fashion choreographer and co-owner of fashion boutique, Bian, in Delhi. Bajaj, who also exports garments to the US says they make the extra small size (XS) only on order. She goes on to concede, “We’ve noticed when we have showings in our store, and we place garments on a Size Zero mannequin, they move faster.” Is this an indication of our society’s alarming obsession with reed thinness?

Size Zero has become so trendy possibly, because of the number zero itself, which stands for null or nil. Zero indicates finality or perfection, in a twisted sort of way. There’s never been a worse time to be fat. Thin equals happy and Size Zero equals happiest. What’s more, the 22 inch waist is considered attainable and something worth striving for. “If you want a 22-inch waist in your 30s, basically you can’t eat,” says nutritionist and weight consultant Shikha Sharma. She says it’s possible during adolescence when the female body is still developing, but not after. Sharma now turns down the occasional plea she gets from a frantic parent who sends a reed-thin daughter to her to gain weight. “I found we could not negotiate logically with them. We tell them we’ll prescribe high nutrition, calorie-free foods, but they don’t listen,” she says. However, a majority of Sharma’s clients is in their 30s and needs to shed some excess kilograms. But the few teenagers and 20-somethings who are her clients have a different aspiration level of thinness. “The teens come and say they want a body like Kareena’s or Beyonce’s and get hysterical about it,” says Sharma.

International labels in India don’t stock Size Zero. Mango starts at a UK Size 6, the equivalent of a US Size 2 and W, a label for ethnic wear that did an extensive sizing study in India before identifying seven different female body types, have a Petite, that’s equivalent to a UK 8 (26-inch waist). Nainika Karan, who runs the label Gauri & Nainika with her sister and is a petite size herself, says they prefer to use slightly fuller models for their shows. “Our garments look better on full bodied women, or they fall flat on the ramp,” says Nainika. She also attributes sizing to height. “Size Zero on a 5-foot frame might look okay, but its too little for 5’8,” she says.

Skinny sushi (calorie-free sushi) and breast reduction surgery might be in vogue in Hollywood. The word carbohydrate is fast becoming a bad word too, however, we’re still someway off from complete body distortion in India. But we’re getting there.