Each season, agencies send casting agents “show packages,” which are packs of cards with pretty pictures of models they want to work the shows. Jezebel noticed that some of the girls in those packages are 14 and 15 years old, while Fashionista has expressed concern over the news that half-Kardashian sister Kylie Jenner, who is 14, is walking Avril Lavigne’s Abbey Dawn show, which is part of Style360, not Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (oh, and Avril Lavigne is not in the CFDA). So, it seems like designers trying to adhere to the CFDA’s urging that they not employ models under 16 might have to be vigilant about carding models, as the CFDA suggested they do. CFDA executive director Stephen Kolb told Fashionista, “We are not in a position to police or enforce these recommendations. We can only hope that they are followed and taken seriously.”

Fashionista also spent some time with casting director Andrew Weir, the first gatekeeper between underage models and designers he’s working for (including Rachel Zoe and Thakoon, among others, this season). Rather than hire girls who were just, well, old enough to take care of themselves, he sometimes went out of his way to book a girl and a chaperone.

One model, now 19, approached the table, whom Weir had worked with six years prior. He told me, “Back before age was such a scandalous issue, she and I worked together when she was 13, but she was never without her father ever, so if I wanted to book her, we had to fly dad and book two hotel rooms…I’ve always felt okay to do it if a parent was coming and the parent’s cool with it and I’m paying for the parent to be there with the kid, then I’m fine with it, but now…”

Another model approaches. “Allison was 15, which is so politically incorrect now,” he says sarcastically. “True,” she responds, “But, I think they all just lie about their age now. I think they’re all still 14!”

Well if 16 is the new 14, at least that makes 31 the new 29!

via Models Under 16 Will Probably Work Fashion Week Even Though the CFDA Is Against It — The Cut.