Marc Jacobs Ignores Age Limit, Uses 14-Year-Old Runway Models

While his fall 2012 collection receives praise, Marc Jacobs has come under fire after opting to use two 14-year-old models in his show Monday.

Jacobs sent 14-year-old Ford models Thairine Garcia and Ondria Hardin, pictured above, down the runway, despite the 16-year-old age limit suggested by the Council of Fashion Designers for America (CFDA).

Jacobs, who sits on the board of the CFDA, told The New York Times: "I do the show the way I think it should be, and not the way somebody tells me it should be."

After comparing them to child actors, he said: "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."

The girls have appeared in Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire and Elle magazines.

This comes a few days after Ford denied pledging to use models who were over 16-years-old, despite a news release from the CFDA last month that claimed otherwise.

In a statement released Wednesday, Ford said, "While we agree with many of the guidelines the CFDA is working towards, we did not sign on with this particular initiative."

The statement continued, "We are sorry for the confusion and apologize for not clearing it up right away when it was announced. We take the age and maturity of our models very seriously. We work on a case-by-case basis alongside a prospective model's parents to make a determination as to whether they are ready to walk the runway. In most cases, the answer is no. But a select few demonstrate the know-how and maturity that are necessary to work earlier than they otherwise would."

Some argue that the large, fluffy hats and over-sized clothes Jacobs sent down the runway didn't warrant breaking CFDA guidelines, when the model's faces were barely recognizable amid the fabric.

(Source: abc news)