I'm not quite sure that I consider criticising a model on her looks as being a personal attack. In the same way we criticise a photographer on his skills when he showcases his photographs, models, will get criticised for their looks, since that is what they are selling and bringing to the table.
To lead on, when a self professed model claims she is a model and then gives views in a newspaper from a "models'" point of view, the next thing people will ask is "Is she qualified to represent models or to speak as a model?". This is again, no different from questioning the qualifications of someone who claims to be a "so and so level".
Now, when we question the qualifications of a model, what comes next? The skill as well as the looks; along with all past records of employment, bookings or the lack thereof. I hardly think that those counts as a personal attack, more of questioning the person's qualifications. Since the person has put right out there in the newspaper that "I'm a model and now I'm making this statement as a model", the rest which follow then becomes fair game. Just like when a person puts up a photograph, it then becomes fair game for people to question or criticise it.
This is not the same as say, telling a photographer that he looks like a monkey or his face looks like it has been hit by a truck - simply because photographers do not put their looks out for sale or hire. Hence, such would be construed as personal attacks.
Hope this helps to put a new perspective on the viewpoint.
