Are we likely to see more 'real' models strut their stuff on the catwalk? Not if Karl Lagerfeld has his way.

"No one wants to see curvy women," the German fashion designer was quoted as saying on news website Focus.

"You've got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying that thin models are ugly," he added.

Lagerfeld's comments came after the popular German women's magazine Brigitte announced that they would be using real women in favour of skinny professional models for their photo shoots.

Fashion is about "dreams and illusions", Lagerfeld said, dismissing as "absurd" the idea that Brigitte magazine would use real women in favour of professional models on its pages.

Andreas Lebert, Brigitte's editor, said he was fed up of "fattening up girls with Photoshop" and decided to use images of real women after readers complained about over "protruding bones" of models they could not identify with.

Lagerfeld's comments come at a time when many designers, magazine editors and model agents are trying to combat the unhealthy size zero image, which many experts believe encourages eating disorders and poor body image in young women.

The fashion industry's obsession with skinny models recently saw Ralph Lauren apologise after Photoshopping a model so badly that her head appeared bigger than her hips.

What do you think? Are skinny models best? Check out our gallery of skinny vs plus size models and leave a comment to let us know what you think...