Famous fashion houses, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent have decided to stop working with models under the age of 18 starting 2020 in an attempt to preserve the health and comfort of young girls in the industry.

The decision will apply to both campaigns and fashion shows, the company’s chief executive Francois-Henri Pinault said.

“As a global Luxury group, we are conscious of the influence exerted on younger generations in particular by the images produced by our Houses,” Pinault stressed.

“We believe that we have a responsibility to put forward the best possible practices in the Luxury sector and we hope to create a movement that will encourage others to follow suit,” he added.

“In our view, the physiological and psychological maturity of models aged over 18 seems more appropriate to the rhythm and demands that are involved in this profession," said Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainability officer and head of international institutional affairs at Kering.

"We are also aware of the role-model element that images produced by our Houses can represent for certain groups of people,” he pointed out.