Must Be 16 To Walk – Part 2

Will there be problems at New York Fashion Week? Not long ago the CFDA and Diane Von Furstenberg put out a statement urging designers to not have a model under the age of sixteen walk in their shows. The CDFA and Diane Von Furstenberg also requested from agencies to not include the under sixteen models in their packets that get sent out to the designers to pick from, as well as not send out models under sixteen years of age to castings. This whole politically correct age saga is mainly due to the case of young model Hailey Clauson. As it has been all over the news, including our own – http://news.promgirl.net/?p=489 & http://news.promgirl.net/?p=437 – Why are agencies not following orders?

The CFDA did not issue a formal rule or law; it was simply a suggestion to avoid anticipated controversy and possible lawsuits. Thus, the designers, agencies, and models cannot be told what to do, only give the advice on what they feel, as a Council, is the proper was to go about things, especially for such a large event as New York Fashion Week. CFDA executive director Stephen Kolb said, “We are not in a position to police or enforce these recommendations. We can only hope that they are followed and taken seriously.”

Of course, there is always an outlaw. It was reported that agencies are still sending out girls under the age of sixteen for designers to choose from for New York Fashion Week. However, the designers that choose the underage models are more of a concern. As always, women will lie about their age, but it has been noted that much publicized, teen and reality-TV celebrity will be walking in New York Fashion Week. Kylie Jenner of course, and as part Kardashian, part Jenner, everybody knows her business, as well as the fact the Kylie is only fourteen. She will be walking for Avril Lavigne’s new clothing line, Abbey Dawn. Tisk, tisk on Avril, but as Avril is not a part of the CFDA, and is a part of Style360 (opposed to Mercedes-Benz fashion week) I think DVF and the CFDA will forgive her.

A casting director for NYFW (the man checking ID’s) commented on the subject, simply stating, “I think they all just lie about their age now. I think they’re all still 14!”