The ham-handed (if that’s not an unfortunate phrase under the circumstances) decision of Madrid’s regional government to take time out, I presume, from the ‘war on obesity’, to ban models that a collection of bureacrats deemed “too thin” was not only a bad idea, but thoroughly ridiculous. Fortunately the French, always sensible folk when it comes to these matters, have now hit back: AFP is reporting that Didier Grumbach, president of the couture federation and chamber of haute couture has said that “everyone would laugh” if France attempted to follow suit.

Indeed they would.