Chantelle Lingerie
A French lingerie company, Jours Après Lunes, has rolled out a line of underwear articles, dubbed "loungerie" and aimed at girls as young as four years old. The images they are using in their advertising are being called by some critics, "inappropriate" and as close as one can get to child pornography without being thrown in jail. So far.
The line includes sleepwear, underwear, bathing wear, panties and even bras. The models in the photos are as young as four, wearing heavy make-up and posed in such a way as to suggest they are much older than their years. It's amazing their parents are allowing it, but, of course, it's chalked up to an innate fashion sense, playful accessorizing and innocent expressions of natural beauty. How many 4-year-old girls truly understand those things?
According to the Daily Mail, Marilisa Racco, author of Le Snob Lingeries, has this to say about the shocking lingerie line: "It's cute when a little girl dresses up in her mom's clothing and jewelry and high heels." But, "these pictures are not cute. It's entirely inappropriate to put a 4-year-old in a bouffant like she's Brigitte Bardot in And God Created Woman."
The comments under the article are extensive and mostly condemning the idea. But some are in favor. One reader suggests, "I think its very tasteful and expressive of beauty. there are to many filthy minded people, any time a teen or pre-teen puts on anything pretty ... swimwear or cute sleeping clothing. its a part of life, something to have fun with and celebrate with your daughter."
But putting such risqué pictures in a catalog, magazine or on a website is not the same as playing dress up with your daughter. It's actually not surprising this is a new French trend, since French fashion designers are usually the first to explore a new idea. Even if its one from the bottom of the barrel. Anything to make more money and exploit the ignorant.
What's next? Bras for babies?
Tags: their french years young inappropriate beauty anything clothing daughter fashion