Friday, September 14, 2007

12 year old Runway Model - Huh?

I winced and said, Ugh!, before I even knew what hapless designer hired an Aussie tweener, Gabriele Maddison, as a runway model for chic Fashion Week in Australia. The Australian Prime Minister turned his attention to fashion after the unresolved international ruckus at Australia's APEC meeting over global warming. Seems a twelve year old is much easier to harshly critique than his BFF, George Bush and the United States. The fashion world is narcissistic with a sense of self-purpose and any publicity is manna and their holy mantra, yet some are creating precedents. London Fashion Week banned anyone under the age of sixteen and is looking at requiring health certificates to prove size 0's are healthy. Last year, Spain made it clear, any model better meet the minimum weight standards and polish off an extraordinary amount of tapas, before traipsing and sashaying down their runways. (photo of models from Gold Coast Fashion Week)

"I think catapulting girls as young as 12 into something like that is quite outrageous and I'm totally opposed to it.

"I think most Australians would feel the same way." John Howard

A budding twelve year old strutting her stuff she has yet to develop, on the catwalk. By the time you read this she will reach the age of thirteen and all of the wisdom that implies. Her mom thinks its A-ok, because they have yet to make any money from this. Modeling agencies in Australia are racing to proclaim they will not take anyone under the age of fourteen. Other twelve year olds are striding strictly on the kiddie runways. (photo of 12 yearold kid models by Ian Currie/Herald Sun)

One of the best books on marketing, models and fashion I have ever read, comes from the ultra chic, former fashion editor, Teri Agins. Love that book, The End of Fashion. There are some others that give interesting inside looks at certain fashion houses or modeling agencies that open up a few eyes about the real world of Fashionistas.

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