CFDA HEALTH INITIATIVE GUIDELINES
In January 2007, the CFDA formed a health initiative to address what has become a global fashion issue: the overwhelming concern about whether some models are unhealthily thin, and whether or not to impose restrictions in such cases.

Designers share a responsibility to protect women, and very young girls in particular, within the business, sending the message that beauty is health. While some models are naturally tall and thin and their appearance is a result of many factors, including genetics, youth, nutritional food, and exercise, other models have or develop eating disorders. Although we cannot fully assume responsibility for an issue that is as complex as eating disorders and that occurs in many walks of life, the fashion industry can begin a campaign of awareness and create an atmosphere that supports the well-being of these young women.

Working in partnership with the fashion industry, medical experts, nutritionists, and fitness trainers, the CFDA formed a committee to propose a series of positive steps designed to promote wellness and a healthier working environment. We recognize that change will take time and are committed to industry-specific educational efforts, awareness programs, support systems, and evaluation and treatment options that advance our recommendations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Educate the industry to identify the early warning signs in an individual at risk of developing an eating disorder.
• Models who are identified as having an eating disorder should be required to seek professional help, and models who are receiving professional help for an eating disorder should not continue modeling without that professional’s approval.
• Develop workshops for the industry (including designers, agents, editors, and models and their families) on the nature of eating disorders, how they arise, how we identify and treat them, and complications that may arise if left untreated.
• Support the well-being of younger individuals by not hiring models under the age of sixteen for runway shows; not allowing models under the age of eighteen to work past midnight at fittings or shoots; and providing regular breaks and rest.
• Supply healthy meals, snacks, and water backstage and at shoots and provide nutrition and fitness education.

The CFDA Health Initiative is about awareness and education, not policing. Therefore, the committee does not recommend that models get a doctor’s physical examination to assess their health or body-mass index to be permitted to work. Eating disorders are emotional disorders that have psychological, behavioral, social, and physical manifestations, of which body weight is only one.

The CFDA Health Initiative is committed to the notion of a healthy mind in a healthy body, and there cannot be one without the other. The industry is determined to foster a balanced approach to nutrition, recreation, exercise, work, and relationships.

For more information, contact info@cfda.com

SUPPORTERS
Joseph Abboud Amsale Aberra Reem Acra Magali Amadei Atong Arjok Amy Astley Miguel Avalos Attinette Azille Yigal Azrouël Court Baker Kate Ballo Jeffrey Banks Leigh Bantivoglio Julien Barbera Fabien Baron Ivan Bart John Bartlett Victoria Bartlett Melissa Batsel Alecia Bell Barbara Berger Laura Birbrower Madeleine Bloomberg Mariacarla Boscono Valerie Boster Monica Botkier Marc Bouwer Valerie Boyce Ashley Brokaw Amanda Brooks Ryan M. Brown Sarah Brown Dana Buchman Andrew Buckler Sophie Buhai Tory Burch Robert Burke Stephen Burrows Michelle Buswell Lisa Cant Paul Cavaco Salvatore Cesarani Louie Chaban Naty Chabanenko Richard Chai Amy Chan Georgina Chapman Ron Chereskin Jae Choi David Chu Doo-Ri Chung Julia Cirstea Jessica Clark Shannan Click Grace Coddington Kenneth Cole Liz Collins Chris Constable Dana Cooper Fredi Cooperman Maria Cornejo Francisco Costa Jeffrey Costello Jose Covarrubias Keren Craig Leigh Crystal Emina Cunmulaj Elizabeth D’Agostino Sophie Dahl Kady Davis Flavia de Oliveira Emanuela De Paula Brooklyn Decker Ataui Deng Hawa Diawara Suzanne Diaz Cintia Dicker Lisa DiRuocco Holly Dunlap Jouran Dunn Julia Dunstall Stephen Dweck Selita Ebanks Marc Ecko Edward Enninful Carlos Falchi Regina Feoktistova Erin Fetherston Filipa Fino Nian Fish Dana Foley Isabeli Fontana Lisa Forsberg Kim France Georgia Frost Rila Fukushima Valeria Garcia Tony Garrn Duane Gazi John Gnerre Trish Goff Alex Gonzalez Jillian Gottlieb Izabel Goulart Pedja Govedarica Alisa Greenspan Anett Griffel Heloise Guerin Jeff Halmos Neal Hamil Neal Hamil Christina Han Erin Heatherton Stan Herman Lazaro Hernandez Carolina Herrera Courtney Herron Eva Herzigova Haley Hogan Matt Holloway Rosie Huntington Jean Claude Huon Jon Ilani Juliana Imai Chanel Iman Lisa Jenkins Han Jin Betsey Johnson Donna Karan Marc Karimzadeh Carmen Kass Ali Kavoussi Jenni Kayne Pat Kerr Anastasia Khodkina Anastassia Khozissova Ekat Kiseleva Tiiu Kiuk Calvin Klein Hannelore Knuts Steven Kolb Michael Kors Reed Krakoff Devi Kroell Trey Laird Derek Lam Richard Lambertson Ralph Lauren Michelle Lee Stephen Lee Karen Lee Grybowski Robert Lee Morris Susan Lempert-Devine Nanette Lepore Zuzana Lettrichova Phillip Lim Doug Lloyd Daniela Lopes Sally Lyndley Catherine Malandrino Olga Maliouk Fern Mallis Eugenia Mandzhieva Julie Mannion Heather Marks Lana J. Marks Shelia Marquez Russell Marsh Raul Martinez Lisa Mayock Laragh McCann Juliana McCarthy Jessica McClintock Jack McCollough Annie McGinty Joe McKenna Megan McNierney David Meister Andreas Melbostad Meredith Melling Burke Ariel Meredith Ana Mihajlovic Eniko Mihalik Amber Milam Alyssa Miller Nicole Miller Malia Mills Isaac Mizrahi Ryan Molloy Rebecca Moses Katie Mossman Sandra Müller Angus Munro Claire Mysko Aline Nakashima Hilla Narov David Neville Corinne Nicolas Alison Nix Masha Novoselova Thakoon Panichgul Hye Park Tatjana Patitz Paul Pavlovska Carlos Paz Louise Pedersen John Pfeiffer Barbara Pfister Catherine Piercy Mary Ping Jan Planit Natasha Poly Zac Posen Phyllis Posnick Caroline Poznanski Michel Pryor Jolene Rapport Sanhita Reddy Tracy Reese Crystal Renn Oscar de la Renta Lori Rhodes Caroline Ribeiro Patrick Robinson Coco Rocha Dean Rodgers Narciso Rodriguez Jackie Rogers Madeleine Root Lela Rose Andrew Rosen Mia Rosing Vlada Roslyakova Kara Ross Rachel Roy Ralph Rucci Marina Rust Viktoriya Sadonkina Selima Salaun Jackie Salem Leslie Sander Paolo Santos Jan-Hendrik Schlottmann Patricia Schmid Milagros Schmoll Micki Schneider Katarina Scola James Scully Elisa Sednoui Anna Corinna Sellinger Kat Shandruk Jane Shin Park Sam Shipley Tabitha Simmons Michael Smaldone Michelle Smith Virginia Smith Mallory Snyder Peter Som Arlenis Sosa Sandra Sperka Iekeliene Stange Iselin Steiro Sue Stemp Scott Sternberg Jan Stewart Georgina Stojiljkovic Kasia Struss Trudy Sullivan Claiborne Swanson Robert Tagliapietra Elie Tahari Rebecca Taylor Karl Templer Rianne Ten Haken Bruna Tenorio Haresh Tharani Tanuja Tharani Antonia Thompson Monika Tilley James Tinnelly Isabel Toledo Siri Tollerod Ai Tominaga Rafe Totengco Christiana Tran Caroline Trentini Charlotte Triggs Masha Tyelna Fabienne Vanderhaeghen John Varvartos Tony Vavroch Jennifer Venditti Michael Vollbracht Diane von Furstenberg Anne Vyalitsyna Marcus Wainwright Abigail Walch Vera Wang Meggie Weinheimer Jessica Weinstein Andrew Weir Liu Wen Linda Wells John Whitledge Bobbi Wiens Calvin Wilson Anna Wintour Brana Wolf Brittany Woodward Valentina Zelyaeva