As a fashion lover, I always read the main fashion magazines. These include Marie Claire, Elle, Glamour and Vogue; in particular, Italian, French and American Vogue.
Last winter (or summer in Peru), I was in Italy--as always--and since I take the flight from Lima to Paris with Air France, I stayed some days in France. Here, I was able to buy one of my favorite magazines, French Vogue, but this time there was something that didn't click.
In the January issue of French Vogue, highly-sexualized images of 10-year-old Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau caused some controversy in the fashion world.
"We have grave concerns about the modelling agency who represent Miss Blondeau, which clearly does not know if it represents a child or an adult. Photo shoots requiring her, a ten-year-old-girl, to dress in full make-up, teetering heels and a dress with a cleavage cut to the waist across her prepubescent body deny Miss Blondeau the right to be the child she is" (Daily Mail).
With this ad in Vogue, girls are taught that being sexy is good; yet, Vogue is not a magazine for little girls. So who is Vogue addressing this issue to? Little girls' parents? So, is Vogue trying to teach girls' parents that they need to make their kids look sexy in order to be successful? Indeed, the pressure to look sexy is starting earlier and lasting longer; but because of media, the pressure goes also for the parents, which tells them that if they do not make their little girls look sexy, they will be losers.
This is the cover of the January issue of French Vogue. Clearly, we can see the child model wearing high heels and an inappropriate dress for her age. I do not want to offend Vogue because it is my favorite magazine and I truly respect it (I read it every month and have a collection of its issues); nevertheless, I do no understand the point of publishing images of this 10-year-old girl. Was Vogue trying to generate publicity by portraying a provocative child?
Certainly, at the age of 5, 6 or even 10, girls should be playing and having fun; not worrying about their hair, make up, or whether if their push-up bra fits them perfectly or not. At the age of ten, I did not have high heels nor did I wear make-up. In fact, I am 16 years-old now and I only wear make-up when I go to a party or something.
Again, my point is that parents should be concerned of how ads increase the sexualization of their little girls. Media has many positive effects, but lets keep in mind that it is also destroying society and it is making kids grow up too fast.
With this ad in Vogue, girls are taught that being sexy is good; yet, Vogue is not a magazine for little girls. So who is Vogue addressing this issue to? Little girls' parents? So, is Vogue trying to teach girls' parents that they need to make their kids look sexy in order to be successful? Indeed, the pressure to look sexy is starting earlier and lasting longer; but because of media, the pressure goes also for the parents, which tells them that if they do not make their little girls look sexy, they will be losers.
This is the cover of the January issue of French Vogue. Clearly, we can see the child model wearing high heels and an inappropriate dress for her age. I do not want to offend Vogue because it is my favorite magazine and I truly respect it (I read it every month and have a collection of its issues); nevertheless, I do no understand the point of publishing images of this 10-year-old girl. Was Vogue trying to generate publicity by portraying a provocative child?
Certainly, at the age of 5, 6 or even 10, girls should be playing and having fun; not worrying about their hair, make up, or whether if their push-up bra fits them perfectly or not. At the age of ten, I did not have high heels nor did I wear make-up. In fact, I am 16 years-old now and I only wear make-up when I go to a party or something.
Again, my point is that parents should be concerned of how ads increase the sexualization of their little girls. Media has many positive effects, but lets keep in mind that it is also destroying society and it is making kids grow up too fast.
I totally agree with you. The media these days are giving the wrong image of how young girls should dress, wear, etc... and that must be put to a stop or else they'll shatter their innocence with matters they should not even think of at such age.
ReplyDeleteAwesome blog post, intresting topic and is in proper blog format. Strong opinion shows strong mind, and obviously she has looked into the subject at hand. Keep the good stuff going!!
ReplyDeleteYour point of view it is very interesting. Nowadays we can see that not only the media also the same society, it is promoting more and more stereotypes that should be considered as our way of life. Nobody escape from ... even the childlike.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you! And I never knew of this, thank you for the information! Wow, it's shocking me~
ReplyDeleteIt is incredible, i was surprise and i totally agree with you. I was not inform about this, and you really intriged me to the subject. Its amazing.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you. It is just unbelievable how the media is acting these days. Giving stereotypes to children is just not right.
ReplyDeletePeople treat children as adultas, and then they don't understand why they present bad behavior after grown up. We should give those children access to a life that doesn't include adults' way of living, dressing or acting. They must have the experience of living each time of their lives in the right way, so they don't present consequences on the future.
ReplyDelete