CFDA

Editors from all 19 international editions of Vogue have signed the brand's first Health Initiative, an agreement that they hope will "encourage a healthier approach to body image within the industry."

The Initiative — which, according to WWD was sparked by concern for the industry's use of young, thin models — asks editors to follow a set of guidelines when working with models. The stipulations include not knowingly casting models who are under 16 or who appear to have an eating disorder, and asking casting directors from modeling agencies not to send them models who they know are under 16. The agreement also lays the groundwork for the creation of a program that pairs young models with older mentors, asks designers to "consider the consequences of unrealistically small sample sizes," and encourages fashion show organizers to create a healthy environment backstage.

Eighteen editions of Vogue will start following the guidelines in their June 2012 issues; Vogue Nippon's first issue under the new rules will bow in July. British Vogue plans to run a feature on how women view nutrition in June, with contributions from models like Stella Tennant, Lily Cole, and Adriana Lima.

"Vogue believes that good health is beautiful," said Condé Nast International chairman Jonathan Newhouse. "Vogue editors around the world want the magazines to reflect their commitment to the health of the models who appear on the pages and the well-being of their readers."

Vogue's Health Initiative builds on and references similar model-health programs that have come before it. In 2006, Madrid Fashion Week became the first fashion institution to ban the use of overly skinny models. The CFDA's Health Initiative, started in 2007, asks for healthy backstage environments, and as of last year, it also banned models under 16 from walking the runway during New York Fashion Week.

Photo: Scarlett Johansson on the cover of Vogue's May 2012 issue.

>> Those stories and more in our daily news roundup.

• Franca Sozzani defended Vogue Italia's recent Haute Mess spread against accusations that it was racist, saying that it was not her intention to cause controversy with images of candy bars pasted into models' hairdos. "A racist image, I really do not understand," she said. "I went through the pages so many times. Like when we did the Black Issue, everybody said that we did that on purpose because Obama was the person chosen to go to the White House, and if you just think one second, not more than one second, you can see that to make a magazine like what we did for the Black Issue, it takes six months [to do]. … What do you answer? They don't know what it means to work at a magazine. That's it." [The Cut]
• Menswear designer Simon Spurr left his eponymous fashion label last week without explanation. "At this moment, I'm not at liberty to say anything about what's gone on," he stated in an email. His unexpected departure came just a week after being nominated for the CFDA's menswear designer of the year award. [WWD]
• Despite a statement from Vogue to the contrary, rumors have persisted that current cover girl Jennifer Lopez will be performing at the Met Gala this May. She's been a regular attendee of the event in the past, and with the added attention of being on the magazine's cover this Spring, the idea that she'll perform makes sense. Wait and see. [Fashion Etc.]

We like to think of the CFDAs as the fashion industry's Oscars, and last night, the council announced its 2012 nominees. Joining Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for the big womenswear designer award are Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen for The Row. Last year, the sisters swooped up the Swarovski Award for womenswear. The big announcement and stylish soiree happen in June, but for now, check out the full list of nominees:

>> The CFDA has decided to move from its current location in the Garment District to a new residence in downtown Manhattan, leaving some New York designers none too pleased. "We are extremely disappointed by the CFDA's decision to leave the Garment Center," said Nanette LePore, whose husband, Bob Savage, has been a staunch proponent of the Save the Garment Center campaign. "We only hope this does not signal the end of their previous support for New York City manufacturing and emerging American designers."

For its part, the CFDA has stressed that the decision has nothing to do with a lack of support for the Garment District, a neighborhood the CFDA has always championed. "We are not abandoning anything," The CFDA's chief executive officer, Steven Kolb, told WWD. "We considered buildings in the Garment District significantly in our search. The criteria by which we were finding space was ultimately based not on neighborhood, but what the best space for a functioning office for the CFDA was." Kolb went on to say that the Council had outgrown its current space, adding "we are busting out of the seams."

CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg echoed the sentiment: "We needed a very large space so we can have board meetings and clinics there. We found a great space with a great deal, and that's that. We looked for a long time." Von Furstenberg added that she will always think of the CFDA as "the soul of the Garment District."

The CFDA has signed a 10-year lease at its new location at Bleecker Street and Broadway, with plans to move this Summer.
Above: the CFDA's Steven Kolb and Diane von Furstenberg. Getty

>> The Spring 2013 Fashion Week date dispute finally seems to be settling down. In order to accommodate Milan's recent push for an earlier schedule, New York and London have agreed to shift the dates of their own Sept. 2012 shows. New York Fashion Week will now take place Sept. 6 through 13, with London following from Sept. 14 to 18.

"We've been back and forth on this. People are anxious and need to know the dates. There's no value for the cities to compete. In the spirit of working together, London and New York are in agreement that we will go in the earlier period, but with the hope that the four cities will come out of this confusion and work together to plan future show weeks. We need to begin to look at the fashion season not as individual fashion weeks, but very much as a global business," The CFDA's Steven Kolb, explained.

Spring 2013 Milan Fashion Week will take place Sept. 18 to 25, with Paris starting Sept. 25 and finishing the season October 2.