Jours Après Lunes – A Lingerie Line for Children
by iriszhou
Children of the 21st Century are labelled as being increasingly mature for their age, and not in a positive sense either. With many critics already denouncing companies for harming the innocence and wellbeing of children through promotional campaigns (think McDonald’s Happy Meals and MAC Cosmetic’s Hello Kitty makeup line), a new industry has now set children as their object of prey.
Introducing Jours Après Lunes:
Jours Après Lunes is a clothing line that features provocative and sexual underwear designs for young girls from three months to young teenagers. The line, deemed “lingerie for children” by the public, borrows styles from sexy adult stores such as Agent Provocateur and Victoria’s Secret.
“It’s inappropriate to sexualize child. A pearl – encrusted triangle bra on a little girl does not sit well with me.”
– Marilisa Racco, fashion writer and author of Le Snob Lingerie
From a marketing student’s perspective, I believe the company has crossed the line with their target market. Certain products, such as lingerie, should not be made available to children especially with ongoing human rights issues dealing with child exploitation and underaged sex abuse.
The campaign is unethical in that it encourages children to explore in an area that is dangerous and unhealthy to their growth. Furthermore, the company displays ads featuring young girls in provocative, inviting poses, disturbing and frightening the public at the same time.
In a world where appearance is increasing being dictated by the media, the onslaught of sexualizing children in ads could be the cause of self – esteem issues faced by young girls.
“..Even the very young are quite conscious of media images of what is ‘pretty’ and desirable.”
– Paul Miller, associate Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University
Here’s a commentary video about 10-year-old French model Thylane Loubry Blondeau’s Vogue Paris shoot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBfpysk72Zk
References:
http://www.jours-apres-lunes.com/
http://www.businessinsider.com/french-model-thylane-loubry-blondeau-2011-8
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/199138/20110817/french-lingerie-vogue-thylane-loubry-blondeau.htm
Wow. I have to say, my first reaction upon seeing these photos was extreme discomfort; not because of the child model, but because of the way she is portrayed. It is disturbing to think that someone, somewhere, thought it was a good idea to manufacture lingerie for children. While I can see the rationale behind Happy Meals and MAC Cosmetics’ Hello Kitty makeup lines (they have also produced Disney Princess and Villain lines), this just goes beyond normal human decency. I would be extremely interested in learning the creators’ rationale behind these products. The hypersexualization of children who are too innocent and young to know what they’re doing, and the fact that there are adults who encourage and condone this behaviour, is entirely, absolutely wrong.