Fashion, while one of the best mediums for expression, is often, unfortunately, an outlet for harsh judgement and even occasional ridicule.
Though an adult may be able to shrug off such criticism and quickly move on, what about a child?
Over the past few years, celebrity children have started to play a more significant role in the fashion industry and have been subjected to criticism with growing frequency. While there is nothing wrong with adolescents wanting to become models and developing their fashion identities, should toddlers and babies be part of this industry?
A recent example of this is North West, cloaked in Chanel and Lorraine Schwartz diamond earrings in her modeling debut in this fall’s CR Fashion Book. Her parents, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, are known for their, shall we say, courageous styles, and they have obviously passed this on to their daughter, even if she had no choice in the matter.
Their often scandalous personas seem to be extending to North, who is not even 2 years old.
Time’s headline for the story was “North West Makes Her Solo Modeling Debut Dripping With Chanel.” Most who saw the picture probably thought it was cute and innocent, but to someone oblivious to her existence, that headline could have been paired with any other model.
The problem is North is not any other model. She is a child, a baby. And, apparently, “dripping” is now an appropriate modifier for a toddler. It seems as though it’s now acceptable to depict children in a sexualized manner because of what they are wearing.
An even better example of this growing trend is Romeo Beckham’s appearance as Cupid in the Burberry Christmas advertisement.
As the ad’s star, the 12-year-old Beckham is presented as a young heartthrob type persona among a cast of equally good looking adults. Though he is only playing a Cupid-like character, the young model’s role seems slightly sexualized as though he is as mature as the rest of the models.
His appearance in the ad transcends the general view of child modeling because he’s not technically modeling for children’s clothes. Beckham’s role in the video is simply that of a good looking child draped in men’s styled clothes.
While this may not be exactly detrimental now, think of what might happen in the future. What if Beckham appears in another Burberry ad when he is 14, but his outfit is not as well-reviewed?
Imagine being a 14-year-old boy or girl and being harshly criticized for the way you look on a national scale. This could be extremely damaging for an adolescent.
Assistant professor of apparel design Lisa McRoberts said this kind of depiction of children can cause a sense of entitlement as well as be damaging in the future. Children who are infused into the fashion industry will probably grow up expecting that kind of clothing and lifestyle, and thinking it is completely normal, she said.
Young teens who are sexualized in advertisements can be negative regardless of the perspective, McRoberts said. If a teen sees another teen in that light, they may think negatively of their own self-image, and the teen model may eventually have self-awareness issues as well, she said.
“It’s objectification and is not healthy at all for a child, or at any age,” McRoberts said.
While McRoberts recognized that children’s clothing is an important target in retail, she said the fashion industry needs to do better promoting itself in a reasonable way.
Fashion is a fickle industry, and the opinions of those critiquing its members are not usually sensitive to individuals’ feelings of personal images. Children are excluded from other adult activities because they aren’t mature enough to handle the reactions and criticisms of adults. Fashion is no exception.
Celebrities and public figures should be wary of what they allow or encourage their children to take part in because kids don’t always know what’s best for their emotional well being.
A baby wearing Chanel may be cute, but that’s not always a good enough reason to subject a toddler to a forum of mass attention that they cannot control.
Michael Tarver is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from Houma, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @michael_T16.