Adi Barkan

Adi Barkan, 2015

Adi Barkan (Hebrew: עדי ברקן‎) is an Israeli fashion photographer and model agent who has campaigned for legislation banning the use of anorexic models.[1]

Barkan worked as a fashion photographer for fifteen years in Paris, London and New York, before returning to Israel in 1998 to open his own modeling agency in Tel Aviv. In 2001 he started publishing the "Bikini" magazine, which mostly featured photographs of models in swimsuits. It was heavily promoted through advertisement on bus stops, although it was discontinued after less than year due to low sales and public outcry about its indecency.[2][3]

After speaking on television about his experience with model Hila Elmaliach, an anorexic whom he rushed to hospital after she collapsed and who later died, Barkan was deluged by telephone calls from girls and young women suffering from anorexia. This experience persuaded him to require all of his models to submit to body mass index (BMI) exams to demonstrate their physical health and lack of an eating disorder.[4]

Working with Member of Knesset Inbal Gavriely, he successfully submitted legislation to the Israeli Knesset in December, 2004, requiring all modeling agencies in Israel to use the BMI exam,[5] making Israel one of the first countries to pass such a bill. Subsequently, an agency will not be allowed to continue representing a model unless she submits to a health test every three months and receives higher than 18.5 BMI. Any agency that does not comply will be fined accordingly and all forms will be monitored by the Israeli Health Ministry. The campaign has received backing by both the Ministry of Health and The Israeli Center for Eating Habits Reform, while additionally, more than 30 Israeli CEOs have agreed to only hire models who have passed the health exam for their advertisements.[6]

In November 2013, Barkan launched the Simply-You campaign to increase awareness to the effect of the fashion industry on self body image. The campaign compares images from the Holocaust to anorexic models working today.

Shortly after the launch of the Simply You campaign, H&M was the first company to ever admit using too skinny models in their campaigns.[7]

In 2015, Barkan was chosen to deliver a TED talk on the subject.[8] As part of the RealUnreal Project, Barkan travels around the country to create awareness among IDF soldiers, male and female, on the subject of eating disorders.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Urquhart, Conal (2005-07-14). "Shaping a nation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  2. ↑ ""בלייזר" הוא מגזין שנעשה בקריצת עין שרק עיוור אינו מסוגל להבחין בה". העין השביעית. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  3. ↑ "עדי ברקן, בעלי מגזין "ביקיני", חויב לשלם 130 אלף ש' לחב' פוסטר מדיה - גלובס". Globes. Retrieved 2016-02-13.
  4. ↑ Real Israel, Role Models
  5. ↑ How thin is too thin? Photographer launches campaign against anorexia
  6. ↑ Fashion photographer aims to remodel fashion world
  7. ↑ H&M - First company to admit using too thin models in their campaign
  8. ↑ Fashion Ideal, Becoming Real
  9. ↑ Newest enemy of female soldiers: Eating Disorders

External links

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