Most of the press with high fashion runway modeling is based on the models’ weight. Initiatives and bans of runway shows featuring too thin models have been making headlines, but there may be something just as troubling going on that isn’t getting much press.
What most people don’t know is that these women are not women at all – they are children. High fashion models tend to start their careers as young as 14. Their body type is ideal for high fashion because of their lack of curves, giving that “clothes hanger” look designers want so the models don’t out shine the garment.
Recently, Christina Staub, daughter of controversial outsider Danielle Staub on Bravo!’s The Real Housewives of New Jersey signed a modeling contract with IMG models, who represents famous bods like Gisele Bunchen, Heidi Klum, and Kate Moss. The 15 year old is 5′10″, taller than most grown women, has never modeled before, but she could strut down the catwalk with veteran models as soon as this month in New York Fashion week.
Younger still, 13 year old Kendall Jenner, daughter of the Jenner/Kardashian clan and Keeping Up with the Kardashians reality TV star, signed a deal with Wilhelmina Modeling Agency in early July.
Modeling has a dark side, and despite the age of most of the models, is quite a grown up business. Travel, lack of supervision, drugs, sex, eating disorders, and sabotage are common place. Just ask Janice Dickinson, Kate Moss, 0r Tyra Banks, all of whom started in the business in their teens and have reported getting hooked on drugs, or being forced to be around drug use, while immersed in the modeling industry at such a young tender age. These girls were forced to grow up very fast, competing for contracts and jobs with women almost twice their age, while being pressured into situations most adults wouldn’t even trust themselves in.
There is push in the industry to plump up the models, but what about their age – should this be a regulated, too? Is the high fashion industry any place for a young girl to grow up?
