Maud Le Fort won't be seen on the runways of Paris Fashion Week, which kicks off on Monday, having chosen her health over a career on the catwalk.

Now in her 30s, Le Fort came to Paris when she was 18 to pursue a career in modeling and was immediately labeled a "commercial model" — i.e. not thin enough for the top-end fashion shows.

"I had a 36.6 cm waist, 85C chest so I was 'curvy'," she told AFP.

"In Paris, I was told that I was only going to do lingerie and perhaps very commercial things, but not much fashion."

Le Fort refused to let go of her dream and worked to shed the little weight she carried — though without any exercise since muscles are as unwelcome as fat on the catwalk.

"I was measured almost every day. And the more weight I lost, the more congratulations I received," she said.

She got herself down to 49 kilograms (108 pounds) despite being 1.81 meters (5.11-feet) tall and managed to land gigs for Armani, Balmain, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Yohji Yamamoto.

But then she realized it was madness.

"One day, I said 'stop'. I'm going to eat, I'm going to do sport," said Le Fort.

Eating disorders

Now in her 30s, she does theatre classes and therapy in a bid to gain self-confidence and put the years of depression and eating disorders behind her.

"I still don't completely accept my body the way it is," she said. "I do not have a completely healthy relationship with food."

These days, she does mostly photo sessions where the pressure is much lower.

But it also bothers her to see how much her photos are retouched, saying it creates unrealistic expectations for young girls.

"It's absolutely shocking and it's sad," she said.