Is Modeling Child Exploitation?
The fact remains that the most successful models are those who break into the industry during their pre-teens. It’s a time of high-metabolism and a high-fashion-friendly awkwardness. Models Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell were both discovered at 14; Lily Cole hit the scene at 15. Even current “it-girl” Agyness Deyn succumbed to the fashion world’s obsession with age: her handlers gave a false birth date to the press that made her three years younger. In a world supposedly sensitive to the sexual exploitation of children, is it right that marketers rely so heavily on the image of the prepubescent waif to sell their products?
