CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg, Michael Kors and model Coco Rocha led a discussion where they spoke candidly on “The Beauty of Health: How the Fashion Industry Can Make a Difference.”
The Canadian supermodel continued by detailing how she would dash past full-length mirrors, ashamed of her body. Understandably, Rocha eventually caved into the industry’s pressure and took diuretic pills. At one point, she says, she took so many on an empty stomach, that she spent hours doubled over.
Rocha suggested making sample sizes slightly larger, so that someone just over 100 lbs doesn’t need three people to help her fit into a dress. She also suggested stocking healthier food at shows.
For his part, Kors said that “being thin, we know, is about genetics, sleep, a healthy diet and exercise and hopefully not about starvation, bulimia, too many cigarettes or dressing a preadolescent girl up to look like an adult.” He added that agents should be more discerning when sending girls to castings so as to not send girls in a “tizzy” when they are not booked.
The event was attended by many fashion heavyweights including Donna Karan, Francisco Costa, Derek Lam, the Marchesa’ girls, Doo-Ri Chung, and Phillip Lim.
