CFDA Issues Model Guidelines to Keep Them Healthy

CFDA Issues Model Guidelines to Keep Them Healthy

Models wearing fancy dresses on the runway is an enchanting sight to behold, but behind this entire facade is a pressing issue about models’ real health conditions. Talk about younger models getting work permits and thinner models who try to achieve their target measurements in an unhealthy way. The president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Diane Von Furstenberg, wasted no time in expressing her concerns on this matter. She presented guidelines that highlighted the need to foresee eating disorders among the models and enforce age limits for working models. The organization is however unclear if the guidelines also include magazine and advertisement models as they have only directly addressed runway models.

Age Limit Regulation

The rule on the age limit dictates that models who are fifteen years old and below are not allowed to walk the runway. This may be due to late night fittings or past midnight shows that are potentially detrimental to the health of younger models. To implement this, it was suggested to impose checking of identification cards and to be strict as well on this rule.

Eating Disorders among Models

The second pressing concern is eating disorders that are brought about by the fashion industry’s high standards and unrealistic expectations. For instance, models are expected to fit in only one size sample for a fashion show. Most casting agents hire younger models to wear adult clothing on the runway. Meanwhile, models progressing into adulthood have a hard time meeting the fashion industry’s expectations. For this reason, they oftentimes develop eating disorders. This further means that while some models stay thin due to genetics, some have chosen the path of developing unhealthy eating habits.   Eating disorder is in itself a complex issue, but it is so easy to fall into this trap just to secure a post in the modeling giants’ shows.

Other items in the guidelines discuss the importance of recognizing early signs of developing unhealthy eating habits. For models who already are experiencing eating disorders, they are encouraged to seek professional help and are advised not to continue unless with a doctor’s approval. For overall health, it was proposed that breaks and ample rest should be given to models during shoots or shows.

    Also, a part of the guidelines is a suggestion of providing nutritious meals, snacks and enough water at work. They also advocate encouraging models to include fitness in their routine, increasing their awareness on balanced lifestyle, and educating them on substance abuse are other things pointed out by CFDA.

    CFDA is on the roll in making sure that models stay healthy especially on the upcoming fashion week. This initiative is an annual practice of issuing guidelines to remind the fashion industry, designers and casting agents of existing regulations for the past five years. They are also calling on top modeling outfits for support so that their collaborative effort will reach out to more, if not all models, in the country. CFDA has expressed that this is a shared responsibility to protect women models from abuse, overworking, and unhealthy pressure.