PUBLIC OPINION > 14-Year-Old Models Are Acceptable
SodaHead Living
2012/02/17 22:05:35
It's one thing to use child models in Target catalogs to advertise children's clothes, but when designers start enlisting children to hit the high-fashion catwalk, it takes a different tone. Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs is receiving criticism for employing two underage models (reportedly 14 or 15 years old) to show off some of his designs at New York Fashion Week -- even though the event specifically asked designers not to use any models under 16. Jacobs didn't seem too concerned with the breach, as the outfits were not revealing or overtly sexual, but officials expressed concern. We want to know if the public had a problem with the use of 14-year-old models.
Marc Jacobs Uses 14-Year-Old Models: OK or No Way?
58% Are OK With It
There was certainly some disagreement on the issue, but Jacobs came out with more support than criticism. The deciding factor seemed to be the outfits that were used. Not only were the girls covered, they were practically cocooned. On of the outfits looked like a chrysalis costume, while others included heavy winter coats. The Top Opinion read, "That girl is showing less skin than 14-year-olds walking the everyday streets. Please Marc Jacobs, continue dressing these girls." However, critics were concerned about how this move might progress in the wrong direction. One commenter warned, "Right now they are covered up but give it a few years and they will be in some skimpy gear."
Women Aren't as Worried
Interestingly, men seem to be more concerned about the negative implications of teen models than women are. Female voters were 11% more likely than men to be OK with Jacobs' use of underage models. It could be that men are more worried about how it might be received by certain members of their sex.
Conservatives Are Concerned
It should come as no surprise that conservatives took a more conservative stance on this, but we were more interested in the difference between the conservative vote and the libertarian vote. Technically, they're both right-leaning ideologies, but libertarians were the strongest supporters -- even more so than liberals. They were 42% more likely to approve of the idea than conservative respondents.
Parents Want No Part of It
Finally, parents demonstrated a good deal of concern. They were 22% more likely than voters without kids to oppose the use of teen models, and the reason should be pretty obvious. When you have teen girls of your own, or even a child who will someday be a teen, the idea of putting her up on display at a fashion show must lose its appeal.
If you'd like to vote on this question, dig deeper into the demographics, or engage in existing discussion about the topic, visit our original poll about underage models. We'd love to hear from you!
Top Opinion
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Rukasaki ~~ Hawkshadow 2012/02/20 01:23:49
But I have a feeling that there is the possibility that the clown that used them probably used them as "cheap labor"....
The outfits they are wearing in the pictures...are not in the least revealing....but they look like crap. Anyone that buys garbage like that is breathing proof of too much money and no brains or taste!
Pedophiles claim that pictures of nude children are "art".... Sorry, but there is a difference between prurient art and real art....
Is this "real art" or "prurient art"?
But hey...the "fashionistas" seem to think its ok.....
http://jezebel.com/5827092/fa...
Its sick, and its perverted...
http://jezebel.com/5831607/fr...
14 year old girls are not "sexually mature" enough to be a model, nor are they mentally mature enough to function in an adult society....
Next thing you know it will be 6 year old girls modeling adult clothes....
I could be a model....but that is meaningless other than to prove anyone can be a model.....
But for young girls, and that is what they are....to be modeling adult clothing is not right.
I'm surprised that more parents haven't rebelled against the fashion industry....and what is even more surprising is that the parents let them wear the clothes..... Jeez....do I sound like a fuddy-duddy.....
Seems kids aren't allowed to be kids for long....nowadays.
I think it's a bad move. She is a little girl: not a sex-object.