Israel has become the first country to formally legislate a ban against underweight models, measured to be under a body mass index of 18.5.
Other countries, like Australia, have set miniumum weight limits for certain fashion shows in the past, but this move by Israel goes much further.
The law aims to reduce the rate of eating disorders in the country, thought to impact on as many as 2 percent of Israeli girls ages 14 to 18.
Adi Barkan is an Israeli fashion photographer and model agent who has backed the law.
"Something has happened in the last 20 years. Always, the model was skinny but not too skinny," Mr Barkan told CNN.
"And I found the difference between skinny, [being] thin and too thin, is the little difference between life and death."
He speaks from personal experience. A model friend of his died in his arms after suffering an eating disorder that left her extremely thin and weak.
"We don't know how much power we have. We can kill people and we can save people."
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