With NYFW at an end, this week’s hot topic in the Talent Management agency seems to be the never-ending debate over young models on the catwalk. While CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg has reiterated the CFDA’s recommended Health Initiative Guidelines, which states models must be at least 16 years old to catwalk, it seems some do not agree.

Although not alone in his opinions, it seems Marc Jacobs has probably gained the most notoriety on the issue having knowingly used two 14-year-olds – Brazilian model Thairina Garcia and face of the A/W 2011 Prada campaign Ondria Hardin – at his A/W 2012 show this week in New York.

When contacted about his decision to go ahead and use young teen models, Jacobs defended his choice, saying: “I do the show the way I think it should be and not the way somebody tells me it should be. If their parents are willing to let them do a show, I don’t see any reason that it should be me who tells them that they can’t. There are child actors and child models for catalogues and stuff, so I guess if a parent thinks it’s O.K. and a kid wants to do it, it’s fine.”

Having read responses following a Telegraph article published online, it seems the majority of the public agree. Here are just a few of the comments that quickly followed the article’s upload:

“Much to do about nothing….Talented 14 year old musicians play in guest concert recitals, and those 14 year olds who can sing are singing in Church choirs.”

“Underage?  for what?  Drinking? Driving? Getting married? No, just walking along a platform in funny clothes.  Girls have always done that.”

“If the children are happy doing the show and the parents have no problem with it, other opinions do not matter.”

“Why does this matter?  What is wrong with employing a 14 year old to walk down a cat walk and then walk away with a sack of money?  It is absurd what people get scandalized over.  I am glad Jacobs did not apologize… but what he should have done is add ‘and if that offend you, please feel free to get stuffed’.”

But Talent Management wants to know what you think. If the teen models’ parents consent and the models themselves feel mature enough to take on the catwalk, then do you feel using young models shouldn’t be an issue?

Or do you agree with the CFDA’s recommended Health Initiative Guidelines, which follow concerns that models under the age of 16 may be unprepared for the ‘adult environment’ that catwalk events can involve?