Fashion Week Day 4

Let me just say it’s really cold here. Blustery, brutal, nose-numbing cold. When I left my hotel at 7:45 Monday morning, the temperature was 9 degrees — 0 with the wind chill.

The fashion gods were smiling, though, because I walked out of the hotel and right into a toasty cab for the 7 blocks to the tents. Usually, I walk. Really. And I did walk back more than 12 hours later. I’m still waiting for my cheeks to thaw. Yes, those too!

Anyway, this morning I was in a hurry to get to a symposium organized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America to discuss health and beauty in the fashion industry.

The CFDA wanted to address the issue of ultra-skinny models, a subject that has been in the news for a year or two and most recently since last November when a Brazilian model died of causes linked to an eating disorder.

The CFDA has formed a health initiative to address concerns and propose a series of positive steps to promote wellness and a healthier working environment.

A panel of experts included a doctor specializing in eating disorders, a trainer, the director of a media relations company that specializes in fashion and a modeling agency agent. A Russian model shared her story of how she lost weight and jeopardized her health before becoming healthy again.