Toni Garrn condemns body‑measurement practices in German fashion industry

German supermodel Toni Garrn said the casting process in model agencies often involves intrusive body measurements. She told Die Zeit, “You stand half‑naked, then someone with a tape measure says: ‘Your hips are too wide, honey.’”

Garrn, who has been modeling since age 14 and is now also a mother and entrepreneur, said she sometimes refused to be measured, buying herself ice afterwards. She noted she could have quit at any time because she was financially supported by her parents, adding that the industry’s focus on weight and body shape forces models to limit what they eat.

Reflecting on her early career, Garrn recalled posing at 15 in bikini shorts with a cigarette for styling, and she emphasized that the pressure on weight is a common burden for all models.