Wednesday 3 October 2012

Front Row Children

I thought I'd seen it all with reports that Suri Cruise is a fashion icon. She's, what, 6? It's crazy, right?

Suri in heels.
But today a picture of another 'coolest kid in fashion' emerged. Here she is, Aila, Alexander Wang's niece wearing  - wait for it,


'A Chanel handbag a mini Alexander 
Wang Rocco and the personal style of an off-duty model' - Grazia online

Am I the only person who thinks there's something wrong here?

Aila, looking bored in Front Row.
Aila is not the only kid in the Front Row; there's plenty of competition.

Jennifer Lopez with Emme.

Rodger Bergman and Skyler Zoe.
Victoria Beckham with Harper.
I understand that mothers and fathers sometimes need to take their children to work, but to parade your offspring in mini versions of designer gear is surely not right? How will these little boys and girls feel growing up in the glare of publicity? Will they always measure the degree of their success on how they look and on how expensive and exclusive their wardrobe is?

I know they're selling the designer clothes, the children's lines are a lucrative market, but still?

And this isn't just sour grapes. The fact that I couldn' afford little Aila's outfit (or a grown up version of it) in a million years has nothing to do with my views. When my lovely daughter was little, I really, really enjoyed dressing her in cute things, and equally still love going shopping with her. But I would never have paraded her in front of the world's paparazzi as some kind of arm candy, however famous I was. It's just cannot be good for their natural childhood development. 

What do you think? 
Aila is cute, I know, but...

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Aila is lovely....as are the other children....but I totally agree with you, it's just wrong. The outfit Aila is wearing in the last photo is, quite frankly, RIDICULOUS!!!

It's placing the emphasis on all the wrong things - image, for one. Very unhealthy I think.

Heather said...

Even if I could afford designer labels for her my daughter's clothes get far too dirty to spend a fortune on them! I was gutted when she fell over a ripped a cute pair of Tesco leddings the other day!

Imogen said...

I agree completely. Poor kids - and poor parents, if in fifteen years time this unthinking displaying of their "toy" kids comes back to roost in the form of huge rows - or worse...

Unknown said...

I'm glad you ladies agree! Helena xx

Wildernesschic said...

How can a child run around and play, eat ice cream or get messy in any of those outfits.. I tried dress mine in little jeans when they were babies but they couldn't wait to take them off to play and run around.. children should be care free not worrying about what to wear already!! xx

Anonymous said...

I find these photos truly disturbing.

Anonymous said...

I don't see why we anyone should be up-in-arms about Aila. The only time we see her is during NY Fashion Week, and I don't think she goes to any other show but Wang's. (I believe her mother is CEO of Alexander Wang, so the show is a family affair.) The shows don't last more than twenty minutes, so it's not like she was deprived of any serious playtime. When I was three I would have adored a fashion show and the glamour of the models and clothes whether or not I understood what was going on. And Wang doesn't even have a children's line, so he must have run it up just for her. I think the coverage is fun and sweet, mostly because she's so cute and too young to read her own press.

I do feel for the children of celebrities who are constantly being photographed, as opposed to twice per year. It's very hard growing up in the entertainment business where how you look is so closely scrutinized.

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