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It's not even noon on a Tuesday after a long weekend and we're already being inundated with Diane Von Furstenberg mea culpas. Okay, maybe not inundated, but here are two: First, in an interview with The Daily Beast, Von Furstenberg expressed embarrassment about her statement on behalf of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) re: being disappointed in First Lady Michelle Obama choice to wear an Alexander McQueen dress to a state dinner.
Then, just now, we got this email from Von Furstenberg in our inbox wherein she confesses to hiring models under the age of 16 to walk in her runway show—despite encouraging other designers not to.
Addressed to "Colleagues and Designers," it reads:
I hope you are all resting from NY Fashion Week and that you are having great results from buyers and press.· Diane Von Furstenberg honors women at New York Fashion Week [TDB]As you remember, I sent you all a letter prior to the shows, emphasizing healthy models and diversity, and reminding you of our Health Guidelines.
One of the guidelines, as you know, is not to hire models under 16 in addition to making sure that all of them are properly fed.
Well, 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!
I was horrified and terribly embarrassed. From now on I will instruct my casting people to demand ID’s. I encourage you to do the same.
Please accept my apology. I am trying to be a good leader and set an example?so please please accept my apology.
· Diane Von Furstenberg is embarrassed over statement [Fashionista]
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