Yet another fashion designed has caused public indignation following an insulting outburst.

Proving the old adage that fashion designers are often better seen than heard, controversial Welsh designer Julien MacDonald has spoken out against plus-sized catwalk models, labelling them a ‘joke’.

MacDonald’s comments have already sparked condemnation from health groups, with the Welsh Assembly’s Cross-Party Group on Eating Disorders Bethan Jenkins saying Macdonald’s statements were particularly damaging to young women with eating disorders who looked up to models and tried to emulate them, placing undue stress on impressionable youngsters.

MacDonald, who is due to appear alongside host Elle MacPherson in the new series of Britain’s Next Top Model, said that the lack of full-figure models on the TV show was understandable, and that it would be inconceivable that a plus-sized girl could win the competition. He bluntly added that a size 14 in the dressing rooms was clearly on the wrong show, and that they would only be setting themselves up for failure. His comments came as he was trying to hype the show, which is due to premier soon, and certainly has drawn attention to the series.

MacDonald claimed the show was ‘serious’, and that it would be turned into a farce should larger women be allowed to compete, despite the curvaceous Whitney Thompson taking out first prize in the Tyra Banks-hosted American version of the same show. MacDonald has made it clear that the UK edition would have no such plans, while at the same time making it clear that this year’s entrants would be likely to suffer public humiliation during the show. This from the rather short man who once wanted Amy Winehouse as his model.

In the cutthroat world of glossy fashion magazines, what goes on the cover is crucial to success.

Editors at the likes of Grazia and Vogue Magazines spend hours antagonising over who should adorn their covers, knowing full well the circulation will rise if they get the image right, or fall accordingly if the pick a dud.

It could be that the recently crowned ‘World’s Sexiest Woman’ Cheryl Crowe, with her inoffensive dress sense and hair and a strong but cheerful demeanour is worthy enough of shelling out a couple of pounds for. Perhaps the high-fashion Victoria Beckham with labels and bags and her Hollywood connections is more likely to run off the shelves.

British Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman says Kate Moss has always worked for them, her grungy chic look and sultry pout offset by human interest in the always interesting model.

To better determine what the market is looking for, or trying to avoid, fashion magazines hold regular meetings with focus groups and consult a variety of facts and data on sales, circulation and surveys. To add to the confusion however, magazines do not always try to appeal to their customers. Most dedicated readers will by their favourite magazine regardless of the cover, leaving the magazines to try and tempt floating readers. Here, the cover becomes the all important bait.

Shulman says some colours just don’t work, such as mustard yellow or pretty much any shade of green. Black is also to be avoided in favour of pretty, simple patterns and colours, with metallic pink a popular choice.

The recent debate over the use of plus-sized models and the backlash from the fashion industry has been taken down a level. British mannequin manufacturer Rootstein has launched a new range of dummies that has once again set off the weight war of words, with campaigners for eating disorders being especially incensed at the waif-liked bodies.

Beat, the UK charity that helps people affected with eating disorders, has lashed out at the news of the new mannequin release, which will be officially unveiled next month at a collection for Young and Restless. The male mannequin, for example, features a chest measuring 35 inches and a waistline of just 27 inches – making him 11 inches slimmer around the waste than the average British male according to statistics from the NHS.

Susan Ringwold, eating disorder expert and chief executive for Beat, told reporters that shop windows full of overly skinny mannequins can have just as negative of an effect on males as females. Males are coming under increasing pressure to feel the same body consciousness as females in modern times, and the result has been a rise in eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia among males.

Rootstein would not comment directly on the allegations, but has said previously that it does use deliberately slender, but healthy, teenagers for models – a trend they claim is seen amongst pop stars and celebrities everywhere.

One of the planet’s most influential female fashion bloggers has slammed the use of curvaceous models on the catwalk.

Une Fille Comme Moi (A Girl Like Me) blogger Garance Dore, whose webpage garners some 50,000 hits every day, said that the recent trend towards plus models by leading fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Prada were little more than a gimmick.

The 35-year-old photographer turned fashion critic told reporters in Paris that the industry was being naive and presumptuous to assume that the catwalk was a place for differing body shapes, but did acknowledge that this may change in the future. Right now, it seems, Dore feels the best outfits should be worn on the best bodies.

Dore said that the concept should not be treated as a big deal, so to speak, but that UK Fashion Week had deliberately made a joke of the concept, aiming for shock value and publicity for being seen to be progressive in its approach.

Dore further said that the use of larger models by magazines to project a healthy body image was unconvincing, a reference to the French glossy Elle whose latest edition features the plus-sized Tara Lynn on the cover and in a 20-page luxury label collection. Also, the January edition of V magazine was a Size issue, with both Lynn and fellow buxom beauty Crystal Renn both featuring, heavily.

Somewhat controversially, Dore said that it was not necessarily a good thing to showcase plus sized models because they were not really physically healthy.

The catwalks of Milan, Paris, New York and London have all featured an age-old display in recent weeks - literally. What was once thought to be a catwalk ‘no-no’ is now seen as key to attracting an altogether new market, although some may still be shocked to find the presence of gray hair on the runways.

The stars of the fall fashion shows were, surprisingly, more mature models – some even well into their forties. In the fashion world, such a concept was once unthinkable, but the move reflects the new marketing approach to the real consumer. The initiative is a far cry from teen models that more often cannot even buy a new dress on a credit card or drive to the show.

Calvin Klein’s creative director, Francisco Costa, said the decision was certainly a break from tradition but that he was aiming for his models to represent a true reflection of the purchasing public, pointing out that this was unlikely to be your average 16-year-old.

Costa’s latest collection featured the distinctly gray-haired Kristen McMenamy, who was also featured at Viktor & Rolf, in addition to ’90s sensations and modern-day mothers Stella Tennant and Kirsty Hume.

Costa admits that the economic downturn, which has led to global purse-strings being tightened, have forced a rethink in the marketing approach of the industry. Using older, curvier models will also counter the ever-present complaints over wafer-thin runway girls.

The new approach is aimed by the fashion industry at making itself more relatable to its prime customers. A slew of eighties beauties, including Elle MacPeherson, Alessandra Ambrosio and Miranda Kerr are all now being lined up by the likes of Marc Jacobs.