What better way to create publicity for the first Gold Coast Fashion Week than securing a 12-year-old girl as the face of the event.
She’s not even a teenager yet, but Maddison Gabriel has been named as the face of Gold Coast Fashion Week. She was selected ahead of women, some 15 years her senior.
“I’m stoked that I won – modelling is all I’ve wanted to do since I was six,” Maddison said yesterday.
The news sparked debate all around Australia (and even the modelling industry) over whether a gir,l who’s not even a teenager should be modelling clothes that are aimed at women twice her age.
Is this a big push for publicity, or are the organisers really look to support the young girl has she tries to pursue a modelling career?
This isn’t the first time that young models have sparked controversy in Australia, a 15 year old model was dumped as the face of the recent Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, even though she was due to turn 16 the opening day of the festival.
[Image and source from News.com.au]
— Covering Australian fashion because we’re an Australian fashion blog
She looks way too young to be the face of anything.
I personally don’t think that a 12 year old should be selling me clothes. I have cousins of that age… they are KIDS! Little girls! Most girls of that age haven’t even hit puberty yet. Children are becoming adults so quickly now. This sort of thing will only encourage that further. I am personally grateful for my years of being allowed to act like a kid. We shouldn’t be encouraging little girls to grow up so quickly.
But I am off topic. When it comes to a 12 year old trying to sell me clothes on a catwalk, it just isn’t going to happen. Particularly if I know she is 12. If any brand I bought began using 12 year old models I would boycott.
The mother says” I am waiting for someone to say to me I am a bad mother”. Well Mother, I would not go as far as to say you are a ‘bad’ mother – but I do say that you are not doing your job as a mother! Perhaps you are seeking vicarious status and glory through your mature looking but immature daughter. She is a child! Perhaps it is better you wait a little longer for your glory as it surely will come to her. May she be old enough to not need you to stand beside her in the photographs.
At that age I used to practice my music hours a day without anyone forcing me. It was purely of my own desire. I now look back and sometimes think of some of the many things I missed out on as a youth. I have no regrets though; it is what I wanted to do. I now see people that I teach constantly say I wish I had stuck with it when I was a kid and did not give up. I want to really play music now. I suppose the fashion industry has a way of exploiting and sexualizing models no matter what age they are. I’m sure it is a short-lived career. But if you are picked by a top agency I know there is a lot of money to be made. If she’s got a good support team and a good level head she has just invested in her future with a large bankroll. Her college will be paid for and even perhaps her retirement. The media has found a great story in this, while there are so many other children truly suffering more than most of us could ever know. I actually heard kids get hooked on drugs even if they are not stars or in the media. Lets look the neighbors close to us and get involved with the ones that will never get a speck of media attention and see what we could do about helping them. I’m hope she will turn out OK as an adult and live a normal life. Because remember when you’re an adult it seems that at that point no one cares. Good luck media/fashion girl and may the force be with you. It’s a dog eat dog world out there.