Allegra Versace Treated for Anorexia
In March 2007 the media reported Allegra Versace had anorexia. Allegra is Donatella Versace's daughter.
A statement released by Italian fashion designer Donatella said: “Allegra is not at present in a hospital of any type, but is residing at her private address and her state of health is stable”.
The statement went on to say Allegra had been suffering from anorexia for a number of years but was responding well to treatment.
Before Donatella’s statement, it had been widely speculated that Allegra might have an eating disorder because of her tiny frame.
Allegra Versace is heiress to 50 per cent of the Versace empire, which she inherited from her uncle Gianni Versace (the founder of Versace) on her eighteenth birthday. Gianni was killed outside his home when Allegra was 11 years old.
Fashion houses have come under fire in recent times for using very thin models on catwalks, as it is widely believed they have a negative influence on impressionable young girls and women and encourage eating disorders.
The Italian city of Milan responded to this by banning models with a body mass index of less than 18.5 from its February 2007 fashion shows.
