Australia's next Top Model winner: Alice Burdeu

DitaPage* · June 6th, 2007, 07:49 AM

In an exclusive blog for The Daily Telegraph Online today, Alice Burdeu opened up about her time on the show and bravely addressed accusations that her 58kg, 185cm frame is unhealthy.

To one reader's post that she has an "obvious eating disorder" and looks "so pale and sick", the 19-year-old redhead stresed: "I am healthy."

She added: " Thanks for your concern, but as I have said and everybody who worked with and lived with me during the show I am a healthy young woman and simply have a very tall frame to cover.

"Lanky and tall yes! But I’m certainly not sick."

And to claims that her body mass index - a key indicator of healthy weight - is too low she said: "I think everyones beautiful in their own way and that it doesn’t any way need to be about weight!"

Burdeu has a BMI of 15.3. The World Health Organisation considers 18 to be healthy.

Models with a BMI of under 18 have been banned from participating in fashion shows in Spain, while other parts of the world are also cracking down on super-slim models. Australia's fashion industry, however, has yet to follow suit.

"Everybody comes in differents heights and weights and I certainly don’t advocate extreme dieting or disorders but I also feel it is unfair to make naturally thin healthy people feel as if they have something to be ashamed of," Burdeu said.

"It's to easy to say someone has a low bmi, you need to look at their age, sex, life, gentics! It's not as simple as one mathematical calculation."

She also admitted she has low self-esteem - and thought modelling might help overcome it.

"I guess having always looked different in my life (tall/lanky) I was looking for a way to validate the way I look.

"Althought I’m not conventionally attractive in a hot girl next door way I felt like this competition could help me to appreciate who I am and maybe just help to feel that's its to ok to be me. I also loved the idea of traveling and wearing amazing designers!!"

I'm not sick, says top model | Herald Sun

Shes a great model, but shes going to be a terrible role model. She is skin and bone. The next 'thinspiration' model for sure.

**WitchHazelEyed** · June 6th, 2007, 08:24 AM

I didn't watch the show but honestly, she doesn't look all the model-like to me. The expression on her face in the first photo looks very harsh. And i the second one she looks like any regular skinny chick to me. She's not ugly, I just don't see anything special about her.

**Rondette** · June 6th, 2007, 01:35 PM

if her hair is really as red as it is in the second picture I am jealous.

**Sweetie** · June 6th, 2007, 01:42 PM

Her hair is ugly.

**msdeb** · June 6th, 2007, 01:53 PM

i dont get the attraction.

**Karistiona** · June 6th, 2007, 01:54 PM

I love her hair, I've always liked red hair on women.

**doriangray** · June 6th, 2007, 03:56 PM

i love red hair on guys.
in the first pic she looks like nicole kidman.

**A*O** · June 6th, 2007, 04:16 PM

Those pics don't do her justice. She's very tall and very skinny and very pretty and has some major Issues. The judges said from the start that she's perfect for the catwalk, although maybe not advertising or photoshoots. I think we take it as read that these girls have some kind of ED and so long as the fashion industry demands women like this to model clothes nothing's going to change.

**princesspink** · June 6th, 2007, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by WitchHazelEyed

I didn't watch the show but honestly, she doesn't look all the model-like to me. The expression on her face in the first photo looks very harsh. And i the second one she looks like any regular skinny chick to me. She's not ugly, I just don't see anything special about her.

I would say that about Naima the first time i had seen her. But some girls with normal faces shine as models.