Diane Von Furstenberg Apologizes To CFDA For Using Underage Model

Seems like Diane Von Furstenberg just can't catch a break. She's still suffering from her ski accident, she wo-manned up and said she owes the first lady an apology letter for commenting on her State Dinner dress...and now the designer and CFDA president is "embarrassed" again, after casting a 15-year-old model in her runway show last week, Women's Wear Daily reports.

You see, the CFDA has strict guidelines about only using girls over the age of 16, but somehow, Hailey Clauson walked the walk at DVF's show. DVF sent out an email to all CFDA members, reading:

"It is to my horror, that I discovered last Friday that in spite of me repeating that to my production and casting people, one girl slipped through the cracks. One girl who will be 16 in March walked my show last week!"

March is just a few weeks away...but we understand the concern. Clauson recently told The Cut she still sleeps with her baby blanket. Jeez. But we also did notice her at quite a few shows. Ahem, Oscar de la Renta. Ahem, DKNY.

DVF added:

"I was horrified and terribly embarrassed. From now on I will instruct my casting people to demand IDs. I encourage you to do the same. I am trying to be a good leader and set an example...so please please accept my apology."

Comments

[Absolute]

07:44 AM on 02/25/2011

That's what happens when you jump on the bash Michelle bandwagon instead of paying attention to your own business.

[orange county man]

09:07 PM on 02/24/2011

DVF looks like an old Russell Brand.

[Skiwee]

08:44 AM on 02/23/2011

Maybe it's time she considered retirement....too many mishaps in very a short time span.

Is she over medicating, I wonder!

[sadie and boo]

07:21 AM on 02/23/2011

Diane is such a classy woman, I think her concern over these issues actually reflects well on her despite the (minor) controversies themselves.

[Peerless Pillar of Power]

03:39 AM on 02/23/2011

She's wrong. There isn't any age limit for modeling clothes. There can be fashion shows that are for girls 16 and under. It's a question of style. As long as the public is pleased, it's fine.

There is a gender distinction. In adult modeling there are women and men. Yet even in adult fashion, the men are not as important.

There are beauty pageants for women and girls of all ages. You could even have an "Ultrasound Beauty Pageant" for female fetuses. It doesn't really matter.

But you don't see any mainstream men's beauty pageants. Men generally don't gather to preen and pose.

Women and girls of any age can do fashion shows and pageants just for the purpose of being admired.

Men and boys relate differently to society. Males have to be doing something, rather than be passive for the purpose of being admired. That's why boys don't have pageants and fashion shows. But girls do.

Men's "fashion show" is the military. If women want to admire men the same way, they can admire soldiers.

This is true of the social customs of basically any society. Cultural anthropologists understand this.

The distinction is based on the difference between male psychology and female psychology. People should not confuse fashion with pornography. There isn't any comparison. Girls of any age can be involved in fashion. It's a question of style.

[Absolute]

07:43 AM on 02/25/2011

From the article: "The CFDA has strict guidelines about only using girls over the age of 16..."

[julieJgoldengay]

10:32 PM on 02/22/2011

Ahhh Dawl-Link...
Everyone Lies.
"I'm 14, 22, 76, 84."
See.
Even I'm lying.
About Age.

[doloresleft]

09:08 PM on 02/22/2011

ok, i get it- she does whatever she wants- and if she gets called out , she's horrifed and embarrassed- just like about calling out mrs obama on a non american dress choice--
so if everyone is up in arms-she is too-- how about not letting it happen at all?
how can people not understand what an age requirement is- does she communicate by smoke signal?

[valeskas]

09:10 AM on 02/23/2011

Yes she must communicate with snow signals. She is being catty, because Diane herself was not born here.

[CATNIP1]

08:51 PM on 02/22/2011

That's right... blame it on someone else.

[LeftLeanWing]

09:05 PM on 02/22/2011

She's taken responsibility ... but you can be assured that at her LEVEL... she's is not the one out there personally hiring models and even doing the actual designing anymore...

[december30]

07:47 PM on 02/22/2011

Karma, karma, karma. LOL

[santiago sherwood]

07:45 PM on 02/22/2011

she is upset she got caught, please let's get the truth

[jeana21]

06:41 PM on 02/22/2011

The younger they are, the closer they can get to their birth weight...

[coco51]

05:23 PM on 02/22/2011

This is where that old adage come into play..."mind you own dam bizness"

[jukesgrrl]

11:03 PM on 02/22/2011

The protection of underage individuals is everyone's business.

[coco51]

11:52 AM on 02/24/2011

my comment was to her up in Mrs. Obama's and not paying attention to her own i.e. underage models on her runway....

[AllyCat7]

04:18 PM on 02/22/2011

I never understood why teens model women's clothing anyway. They are not the target audience. It makes no sense. What grown woman with lots of cash wants to choose the clothes in their wardrobe by watching little girls strut down the runway in them? That would be like having grandmas modeling teen/tween fashion. It makes no sense. I'm guessing it has something to do with the disdain for adult women and their shape that permeates the male-dominated (and very often, g@y-dominated) fashion industry. At least Victoria's Secret has models who fit the target audience.

[Sunflo]

05:04 PM on 02/22/2011

Little girls wearing women's clothes. A man modelling women's clothes. The whole thing is a joke!

[AllyCat7]

05:18 PM on 02/22/2011

Seriously. G0d forbid an actual WOMAN model women's clothes. Jeez

[P51MUSTANG]

05:19 PM on 02/22/2011

A very strange joke to most of us heterosexuals.

[MsVella]

07:06 PM on 02/22/2011

High fashion isn't about target audiences.

[jukesgrrl]

11:04 PM on 02/22/2011

Everything that's for sale is about target audiences.

[freethoughtgal]

11:06 PM on 02/22/2011

What is "high" fashion about? DVF sells her clothing to department stores, and I'm fairy sure that "high" fashion individuals don't shop at these places. These fashion designers won't use anybody over a size 4, but they have no problem taking money from consumers size 6 to 14 - you know, the "target" audience. Those with money.

[theredqueen]

04:13 PM on 02/22/2011

Her production people should have always checked id's. The modelling agency too is also to blame.