Tasteless use of 10-year-old girl to model skimpy bikini
(Daily Mail)
Updated: 2006-10-21 16:45
A celebrity bikini designer was under fire for parading a young girl down the
catwalk with near-naked models during a sell-out show at the Los Angeles Fashion
Week.
Critics were shocked at the sight of the schoolgirl in a bikini
alongside older scandily-clad models.
"She can only have been about ten," said one member of the audience. "It was
very inappropriate."
The stunt was part of a show by designer Ashley Paige, famous for her knitted
and crocheted bikinis and for the sexy swimwear favoured by stars including
Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Gwen Stefani and Carmen Electra.
It is not unheard of for young models to be used during the fashion week when
top designers show off their new lines in LA, but not on a catwalk surrounded by
almost topless women - some with just flower motifs covering their nipples.
Conservative family campaigner Jean Terry said designers need to be more
aware of the message they are sending out by using young children on the
catwalks.
"Nearly naked models are not the kind of role models we want for our
children," she said, "and young girls should certainly not be used to promote a
promiscuous image.
"Designers like to be controversial, but they should think very carefully
about the message they are sending out by using young models."
Ashley Paige was the main event of Thursday’s shows at LA’s Smashbox Studio
at the Mercedes-Benz sponsored fashion week.
The Hollywood-based designer has said: "I think the women who like my
stuff...exude sexuality."
She started the trend for knit bikinis and even came up with a method of
keeping them waterproof.
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