Is a 12 year old, too young to be a catwalk model?

[cruisnfamily]

"He does not know exactly what 13 and 14-year-old girls are like. I used to vote for him. We're trying to get our teenage daughters to act older.

Why?

But really, she looks 12 to me. I'm surprised she's such a hot ticket. Unless that's "in" nowadays?

I agree. Honestly, she's pretty but she's not "all that" if you know what I mean. I can't imagine there weren't more beautiful young women auditioning for this.

 

[poohandwendy]

Whoa!! Gotta disagree with you there, Robin. I have to defend the majority of men out there. It is a huge exaggeration to say it is every man's fantasy . Some men's? Probably. The perverts . But I think it would be stretching it to say prepubescent girls are even many men's fantasy .

Me too, I think that statement might ring true with a mature looking 16 yo dressed up looking like she is 20, but this girl looks prepubescent even with makeup on and a guy that is into that is a pedophile, IMO.

 

[Aisling]

No, absolutely NOT too young at 13.

My DS was 14 when he auditioned and was selected to be in a Paul Mitchell fashion show---catwalk. He got $300 for about 30 minutes of "work". He has the look, he has the walk, and he got the job.

He has another audition in a few days for another catwalk event, this being fashion week in NYC for next spring's line. This job is for $1300 for 6 hours of work, which is runway and then photoshot.

He has no ambition to be in show business, but has a look and a runway attitude that makes him a valuable in the fashion/hair industry. We do it on weekends, and he has a nice bank account because of it.

Other than that, he's a normal kid, likes girls, skateboards, doesn't like homework, plays guitar, and is an XBox freak.

I say go for it, BUT KEEP IT HEALTHY!

 

[L107ANGEL]

Whoa!! Gotta disagree with you there, Robin. I have to defend the majority of men out there. It is a huge exaggeration to say it is every man's fantasy . Some men's? Probably. The perverts . But I think it would be stretching it to say prepubescent girls are even many men's fantasy .

Me too, I think that statement might ring true with a mature looking 16 yo dressed up looking like she is 20, but this girl looks prepubescent even with makeup on and a guy that is into that is a pedophile, IMO.

Totally agree!

 

[CheshireVal]

I think she's a little too young. I don't see the "hot ticket" appeal, either (as another poster noted earlier). She looks her age and on top of that she's barely even tall enough to be a successful runway model.

 

[mytwotinks]

I wouldn't let my daughter do it and I wouldn't buy clothing from a designer who used a CHILD to model WOMEN'S clothing. I guess it is one thing if you can find an emaciated woman to model the clothes because that means that there is at least one real person who looks like that, but what is the point of designing clothing meant for grown women in sizes for 12 year olds???? She may be as tall as an adult, but no 12 year old is shaped like a grown woman. She may be tall or have large "parts" , but she's still 12.

 

[Feralpeg]

A lot of the models you see in magazines are much younger than you would think. I wouldn't have a problem with a 13 year old modeling as long as she has a parent there to call the shots on what she should or shouldn't do. I feel the same way about catwalk models.

I really think it should be handled like acting. There are limitations on what types of roles a minor actor can do. There should be the same thing in the modeling world, but there isn't. I remember a few years back when there was a big deal about the suggestive nature of Calvin Kline ads using young teens.

 

[yeartolate]

The big question to me is ---

Why do they need a 12 year old to model clothes that are supposedly made for adult women? Is the thought of putting an 18 year old who might actually have a hint of ****s and hips up there so appalling?

As for the 12 year old, she's certainly very pretty. If I were her Mother I wouldn't want to see her strutting around 90% naked though.

No kidding!

 

[Planogirl]

I think it's up to her parents.

 

[Camicar]

Having had some experience with the modeling industry and having had my dd recruited as a baby/toddler to be a model, my answer as a parent would be a resounding NO.

The modeling industry is nasty. Nasty. Models are trashed not only behind their backs in the cattiest most vindictive ways possible, but right to their face -- regardless of their age. I have seen a 3 year old told that she is a fat cow and to get the he!! out of their room. There is absolutely no way that I feel it is appropriate or worthwhile for my dd to be subjected to an industry that beats its models down and lowers their self esteem. I also think that the industry is underneath it all quite misogynistic -- why else would the designers and photographers be so insistent upon hiring models that look prepubescent or like boys -- it is because (again based upon my experience) that many of TPTB hate, loathe and despise women's curves and evidence of REAL female sexuality. When this girl in question starts to get curves, she will be cut loose and put out to the curb like yesterday's garbage.

 

[simpilotswife]

I agree with the poster who said she looks like a little girl with mommy's makeup on. I wouldn't have a problem with it if she looked older but I don't believe that she would fit in on the catwalk.