[*Bianca*]

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Originally Posted by lucy92 revlon started picking extremely young child models as the faces of their "most unforgettable women..." campaign in the 80's. was it avedon's intention? i am not sure. milla jovovich was 13 when this ad appeared i think. Tara D’Ambrosio was apparently 5 or 6 when this ad was shot. in today's 24 hour news cycle i think a move like would be heavily criticized. superqueen.wordpress.com

I think Milla was only 11 or 12.

[Les_Sucettes]

Well I prefer to see young girls, than older models or celebs photoshopped to look exactly like they looked when they were young.

[KhaoticKharma]

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Originally Posted by iluvjeisa Well, Chanel used a 30-40 year old Catherine Deneuve quite successfully. Not to mention that Dior still uses Sharon Stone....photoshopped nearly beyond recognition, but nonetheless. When you use a famous face, most people know the age of the person....so there could be a limit to how gullible they are about what the product can do for them.

I think the key difference there is the fact that Catherine, Sharon, Marion Cotillard, and the other middle aged women that have done high fashion campaigns (Madonna, Halle, etc) are also wealthy, superfamous sex symbols. Their faces alone sell a lifestyle. For, say, Sigrid or Karlie- people don't know who they are. Their looks are all they have to offer, and thinness and youth are two things (just like wealth and fame) that society has told us are desirable and enviable.

[KaitlynAliano]

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Originally Posted by Urban Stylin I guess it depends on the individual model and their versatility some models might be 15 but can photograph older whereas others might be 19 or 20 but stil look pre teen

This. Also, brands may choose younger girls for their ability to grow with the brand.

[mimirose]

All in all, I think that it depends on the brand and the style of shot. Although, some 14/15 year old models have a high level of maturity and versatility.

[ched]

In recent seasons I was particulary creeped out that several agencies seemed to be actively looking for 15 and 16 year old girls who had the facial structure of women in their late 40s/early 50s, so the image presented in ads and on the runway was one of an impossibly thin baby boomer with flawless adolescent skin. To speak of a model representing an ideal of the consumer, this is as sick and twisted as the heroine chic nonsense. I tried to explain what I was seeing to a 40-something woman in the press lounge at Bryant Park and she got all upset thinking that I was saying it is wrong to looking older. There is nothing wrong with looking older, but the extremes that were being played was a definite perversion, and I think probably caused psychological harm to a lot of women at the time. You can literally create looks that are too unattainable and it becomes a monstrous thing.

[The_Ida]

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Originally Posted by KaitlynAliano Also, brands may choose younger girls for their ability to grow with the brand.

Most of the time they're replaced by another 15 year old, so I really doubt that's the case.

[iheartbags]

Sex and youth sells is the simple answer. Its been the case since the stone ages and is unlikely to change. High end fashion labels are just following a tried and tested formula that works everytime.

[agee]

But do most forty year olds really aspire to be fifteen again?

[Lapin de Lune]

No.
Unless they are dramatically unfulfilled.

I doubt that we are supposed to believe this, because a lot of money hinges upon us remaining eternally unsatisfied, regardless of our age. Age is just another 'natural disaster' that we are conditioned to fear, and those of us who are comfortable with it are probably not in their targeted demographic

[Street_a_Licious]

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Originally Posted by agee But do most forty year olds really aspire to be fifteen again?

probably not 15. but mid 20s! and seriously, the 15 year olds rarely look 15 or even like teens. they're artificially aged via makeup and lighting. the younger the girl, the older she can be styled without looking too old. simple.

[agee]

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Originally Posted by Street_a_Licious probably not 15. but mid 20s! and seriously, the 15 year olds rarely look 15 or even like teens. they're artificially aged via makeup and lighting. the younger the girl, the older she can be styled without looking too old. simple.

No it is not simple. I am well aware that models can be / are styled to look older and have commented on it in this very thread, however not every model can be styled and knows how to emote to project that image, take Karlie Kloss for example:
Hermes campaign - Karlie roughly looks her age which fits in with the fairytale theme, thumbs up;
Dior and Donna Karan campaigns - Karlie looks the part of a twenty-something young woman in both campaigns, thumbs up;
Oscar de la Renta campaign - Karlie's look and styling fits the blue outfit, but it does not fit the fur trim coat, neutral / thumbs down. Karlie is a good poser and emoter, but she could not be matured that much. In this case we are talking one picture, so I am not implying that the campaign was ruined, but a more sophisticated looking model would have pulled the look off better.

In recent seasons, Balenciaga seems to favor the awkward look, for the SS 2010 campaign (which I like quite a bit, graphically) apparently the folks over at Balenciaga thought that hunched shoulders and wide-eyed stares was appealing. Although Gisele has been cast for the upcoming campaign, so it appears that the Bambi trend is over.

This thread is about campaigns, but this really shows up in some runway shows with models between their awkward walks and scared facial expressions are not really selling the clothes.

[balmain1914]

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I am not implying that the campaign was ruined, but a more sophisticated looking model would have pulled the look off better.

That's what I was thinking about when I saw Karlie on Oscar ads.

[scrubb]

Youth is so lucrative right now, with child celebrities... I guess that's why models are getting younger and younger as well.

[ched]

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Originally Posted by scrubb Youth is so lucrative right now, with child celebrities... I guess that's why models are getting younger and younger as well.

Selling unobtainium has always been profitable. People always want what they can't have. Many older people want a youthful image, so that is what gets sold.