Models eat away weight debate at London Fashion Week

By Amie Ferris-Rotman

LONDON (Reuters) - Size zero went pear-shaped at London Fashion Week on Thursday as models strutted down the catwalk munching crisps and downing red wine.

Married British designer duo Antoni and Alison showed models drinking from glasses and bottles as they paraded down the length of a 19th century pub in central London.

The "size zero" debate about ultra skinny models has been raging in the fashion world since two anorexic Latin American models died last year, prompting critics to call for a ban on stick-thin models.

While Madrid already banned size zero girls whose images they say encourage eating disorders, London has refused.

The show, where girls wore packets of crisps and ashtrays on their buffoon hair, invited viewers to "get drunk" and see double, a far cry from size zero.

"We loved the idea that these girls were suddenly free ... It's a celebration of somebody enjoying holding a glass of wine, or spilling a glass of wine," the designers told Reuters after the show.

"You know when you're drunk the world starts spinning and you see different colours? We were trying to evolve that ... it was actually one print that went all over the place."

Muted greys, pinks and mauves started the show, with clinched waist floral dresses and black satin stilettos.

The clothes changed with the models' inebriation as their fictional evening at the pub wore on.

Zigzag velvet leggings mismatched with wool tops appeared alongside floor length gowns with pink elephants, dresses with upside down writing and cheeky grins on all the girls.

"It's like Dumbo being drunk ... like the first time you've been in the pub and you get a little giggly and suddenly do things like show your knickers," designer Antoni said.

Eventually the audience, which included Italians, Russians, Koreans and Japanese, does indeed see double, and girls wearing psychedelic patterns come out in identical pairs.

The bizarre location of a pub is one of many places that has strayed from the traditional this year at London Fashion Week.

Other shows, which are dotted across the city, are in an east London nightclub, the Hilton, a renovated hospital, the Royal Academy of Art opposite the Ritz and a tent in front of the Natural History Museum.