Fashion Gone Wrong

Submitted by on 9 August 2011 – 11:526 Comments

Fashion magazines have got a lot to answer for these days. Size zero models, retouched pictures and ever-younger models being pictured as older.
Now just when you thought fashion couldn’t get any more provocative (or silly) French Vogue is back in the news for a fashion spread featuring 10 yr old French supermodel Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spablab/

The pictures of Thylane taken for the January 2011 issue have been causing a mammoth stir this weekend because they take the word ‘inappropriate’ to a new level. In the fashion bible Thylane is pictured, styled and posed as a Lolita figure. In one photo she’s seen in a plunging gold lamé gown, heels and a full face of makeup and in another pouting seductively at the camera.

 

The pictures are no doubt meant to be ‘ironic’ but they yet again raise the question of young models being used in fashion magazines and the sexualization of children in the media in general. Small wonder Thylane’s mother has had to close her daughter’s Facebook fan page in response to some dubious posts after the magazine came out.
Having said all that is it really the magazine’s fault? Surely it’s up to parents to stop these kind of images from happening in the first place! Which leads me also to question the TV show, Toddlers & Tiaras and the hundreds of beauty pageants springing up in the UK for young girls!
These so called competitions also doll up children with make up, fake eyelashes, and get the kids posing in seductive clothes and ways. It all leaves a pretty nasty taste in my mouth and makes me want to shake the parents involved.

What are your thoughts? Harmless fun or something we should all make a stand against?

Anita

Deal of the day:

Competitions: Win a hamper from Avon by purchasing or emailing support@kidstart.co.uk with your top beauty tip, or win a Back to School kit from Staples by emailing your fad statioary!

Share via emailShare via email

  • Anita

    Interesting to see even the fashion magazines think it’s creepy to dress 10 year olds as adults! http://bit.ly/eZ0zxQ

  • Sarah

    I was one at 14 and yes they are. My mum stopped it when she felt the agency was pushing me in too sexy a direction. I wanted to do it but now at 23 I’m glad she stepped in.

  • Sharon

    The girl is utterly stunning – I can see why they want her for high fashion. But as a mum, I really want to see her SMILING and pictured during things like running in grass and playing on swings. Surely fresh faced is prettier than over made up. Let’s start a revolution – allow our children to be children!

  • Anita

    I agree. She’s beautiful and so natural looking why doll her up as something creepy?

  • ellie

    I just don’t think girls that age should be dolled up and put in adult fashion mags. As someone who pushed to use older models anyway when I worked in fashion, and to use models who I felt projected personality, I find it particularly galling and that’s putting it politely. Are the photos meant to be ironic? I doubt it. Sad, sad, sad.

  • Anita

    Ellie, I couldn’t agree more. Totally sad!