Anorexic Allegra Beck Versace relapses - hospitalized

[Aella]

It's a real shame, though considering her mother and the environment she lives in, it's not altogether surprising she relapsed.

[MaryJane]

DONATELLA VERSACE has confirmed that her daughter ALLEGRA is seriously ill with the "cruel disease" anorexia.

Fashion student Allegra - heiress to the £300million Versace empire - is being treated for the eating disorder in a specialist clinic.

Donatella and her former husband PAUL BECK said they were extremely worried about the 20-year-old, who has been photographed looking painfully thin for several years.

"Our daughter, Allegra, has been battling anorexia, a very serious disease, for many years," Donatella and Paul said in a statement released today by spokesman Robert Zimmerman.

"She is receiving the best medical care possible to help overcome this illness and is responding well. As parents, we are doing our best to protect our daughter.

"However, due to numerous media reports, we want to let everyone know that we appreciate their concern for Allegra, and we ask that her privacy be respected at this time."

Donatella, 51, first confirmed the news to syndicated entertainment show The Insider on Tuesday.

The Sun Online - Bizarre online: Versace heir ill with anorexia

Donatella Versace has revealed for the first time that her daughter is "being consumed" by anorexia.

Allegra Versace, 20, who inherited half the £300 million fashion empire when she turned 18, is being treated in a specialist clinic.

Donatella, 52, said: "My daughter is very ill. Anorexia is consuming her and we are very worried. However, the doctors are doing all they can to snatch her away from this cruel disease and we have faith in them. Please think of us and respect our pain. Many mothers will know well what I am going through and what my daughter is risking."

Her comments on Allegra, who has been studying fashion in New York, will increase calls for a worldwide ban on size-zero models amid fears that constant images of stick-thin models encourage young women and teenage girls to become anorexic.

Donatella said: "Sadly she has been suffering from this disease for some years and the cures have only been temporary. For some time the situation has become worse and that is why we decided to place her in a designated specialised clinic where she is receiving the best possible treatment."

Photographs of Allegra, in which she appears painfully thin, her face gaunt and her bone structure clearly visible, fuelled the rumours which Donatella has confirmed.

The internet is rife with reports of Allegra's illness with one site claiming she is "barely hanging on to life" while her weight has allegedly dropped to 5 stones.

Allegra's battle with anorexia is the latest tragedy to hit the family and follows the murder of her uncle Gianni, gunned down outside his Florida home in 1997.
Gianni doted on his niece and left her half his business empire in his will.

Allegra, who has been studying in New York since 2004, inherited the fashion house when she turned 18, also taking possession of two proper ties in Milan and on Lake Como.

The rest of the company is split between Gianni's brother Santo and Donatella, who took over as creative director following his murder.

Gianni was shot by Andrew Cunanan outside the Versace mansion, also known as Casa Casaurina, in Miami. Cunanan was a suspected serial killer who committed suicide before he was arrested.

Donatella Versace, whose close friends include Sir Elton John, Liz Hurley and David and Victoria Beckham, has had her own battles with illness, admitting two years ago that she was addicted to cocaine.

She is divorced from Allegra's father Paul Beck, an American model with whom she also has a teenage son Daniel.

Her interview followed speculation on the internet, further fuelled by the publication of photographs showing Allegra looking painfully thin, her face gaunt and her bones clearly visible.
Versace refused to discuss her daughter's weight but said she was speaking out now in an attempt to end further internet speculation.

"I thought the best thing was to explain what was happening because otherwise the internet would be full of gossip and chatter," she said. "We are talking about a 20-year-old girl in the hands of a diabolical illness. Many mothers will know well what I am going through and what my daughter is risking."

Nevertheless her admission will likely lead to growing calls for a ban on super-thin models.

[...]

Versace has previously spoken of her fears for the health of her daughter's generation and expressed concern that girls as young as 10 are worrying about their body shape.

But she has previously refused to blame the industry for the prevalence of anorexia and bulimia among teenagers.

"Taking care of your body and look is one thing, sliding into obsession is quite another," she once said. "At 10 they (girls) know all about diets , they put purple varnish on their nails, they decide to reduce weight almost for fun."

[...]

Versace daughter 'dying of anorexia' | the Daily Mail

[cool girl]

So sad i hope she gets better. Like some here have said, a few months back she looked like she was on the road to recovery.

[crumpet]

Just an observation:
Personally I've been inclined to believe that living in a wealthy culture where all of your basic human needs (food, clothing, shelter) are provided for influences people to then focus on loftier aspirations. That's the point when people persue self actualization, setting goals, having dreams, and having much higher expectations about what happiness should look and feel like. People starving in 3rd World countries cannot be bothered with whether or not they are 'pretty' or 'happy'. They are focusing on getting food, water, and not getting gang raped by invaders. Basic survival is their only goal. Once people have those things secured, they focus on higher level needs which can be a good or bad thing. I've said before that depresssion is a luxury of the rich, but I meant that figuratively, not literally. I think people today have higher expectations of what it means to be fulfilled or happy. I think that 60 years ago people didn't think so much about whether they were happy and they didn't necessarily expect to be. They expected they would grow up, marry, have kids, live in their own houes, and work until they got too old. That's it. Bonus if they could throw in a few vacations and a color TV. I think that they media boom has us comparing ourselves to others like never before because we are more exposed to other ideas and images than ever before. Also, after WW2 we became a superpower and Western nations enjoyed a materially comfortable existence. Even our poor people with Medicaid, food stamps, and Section 8 housing live like kings compared to many of the people across the globe. Most of us don't consider ourselves rich, but we are, comparatively speaking.

Starving, war torn peoples don't have the luxury of worrying if their clothes are fashionable enough or if they look like the latest Cosmo cover. We take a lot for granted and I believe a lot of these modern social ills are a side effect of it.

[makedah21]

Yeah,nice observation!

[Egolita]

you know, there was a thread about her started a long time ago and i read it and it really affected me. something about her looks really creepy. i dont mean to say this to be rude, really, cuz i want her to come through this like you wouldn't believe. but she looks like she would come back as a ghost and haunt people. cuz she already looks like she's passed on to the whatever world when you die. it's so sad and i think if she does die i would probably get upset. even though i don't know her. she's so haunting and well, ghostly looking already.


**edited to add.. this post probably makes no sense and i can't articulate how i feel. i guess what it comes down to is that i think she's already pretty dead inside and i think she will probably not make it. hence the comment on her already looking like a ghost.

[Nerissa]

^^ I understand what you mean! And I do agree.

[MaryJane]

Here's a pic of Allegra
The Sun Online - Bizarre: Anorexia 'is killing' Versace girl

and two interesting articles
My daughter is battling anorexia says Donatella | the Daily Mail

Mirror.co.uk - Showbiz - VERSACE GIRL'S ANOREXIA

[olivia720]

I think that they media boom has us comparing ourselves to others like never before because we are more exposed to other ideas and images than ever before.

crumpet, thanks so much for your insightful post. I've often thought these things to.

Its overwhelming to constantly compare yourself to others.

[Blackberry]

Does anyone know how much 70 pounds are in kilograms?

[Fashion Critic]

Pressure to be size 0 is ridiculous...with her money I would not care how fat I was

[Nerissa]

70 pounds is like 31,5 kg....

I read in a gossipmagazine that Victoria Beckham's weight is 38kg, that's craaaazy!

[Lani]

^^ oddly enough not all that hard to reach. Or...if you're an overachiving perfectionist with self esteem, parental, emotional issues plus a mental disorder and a whole shit load of self hate.

When I was in the hospital I was 32kgs.

[leigh]

I'm glad she's getting help, but I'm afraid it's too late. I hope I'm wrong.

[msdebagain]

yet, her mom is out whoring her perfume line. i'd think she needs to get her priorities straight. daughter first, perfume, WAY second.