Should Monika Jagaciak be at Australian Fashion Week?
A FURORE has erupted over plans to put a 14-year-old model centre stage at Rosemount Australian Fashion Week.
Vogue magazine has refused to feature Polish teenager Monika Jagaciak, also known as Jak, in its coverage of the premier fashion week.
And
Vogue editor Kirsty Clements has called for a minimum age of 16 for models starring in the event.
Fashion week organisers around the world have placed a minimum age of 16 on models following concerns over body image and exploitation of young models.
Ms Clements said yesterday: "We found out on Wednesday about Jak's age and told (Fashion Week boss) Simon Lock there was no way Vogue could be involved in promoting her.
"Jak was absolutley a potential for the cover, we were lined up to shoot her but when I discovered this week that she was 14 I was like 'ah, no way'.
"I have children who are 13 and 14 and I'm still tucking them into bed in their jim-jams.
"I just think there should be a standardized rule that specifies models should be at least 16 to participate in RAFW," she said.
The International Managment Group, which now owns and runs Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, is bringing Ms Jagaciak to Australia under its modelling arm, IMG Models.
The rising catwalk star has already appeared in advertising campaigns for top international fashion houses Hermes and Calvin Klein.
RAFW boss Mr Lock has defended the controversial move to bring her to Australia.
"Jak will be chaperoned by an agent from her mother agency (Gaga in Poland) and she is coming with the full approval of her parents, who are very switched on and extremely supportive," said Mr Lock.
"I have a 14-year-old daughter myself, so I'm well aware of the situation - we want to see these models grow and devlop through this opportunity at RAFW, not be exploited.
"Hopefully she will have a great experience and one day, when she's a world famous model, she'll think of us."
Major fashion weeks around the world including London and Sao Paolo have put a ban on models under the age of 16.
The British Fashion Council, which organises London Fashion Week last year enforced a ban on all models under 16.
And Brazil's Sao Paolo ruled all models under 16 off the catwalk in 2006.
Australian Fashion Week sets no enforcable age limit. Instead it simply has guidelines that models under 16 have written permission of their parents and be chaperoned at shows.
The Australian Fashion Council has also slammed the decision by Australian Fashion Week to tout the Jagaciak as a star of fashion week.
Jo Kellock, acting general manager of Australian Fashion Council, said a model of that age would be better suited to modelling children's clothes.
"You have to question whether a 14-year-old has the emotional maturity and is rational enough to be in this world," Mrs Kellock said.
The Australian Family Association has also joined the chorus of criticism.
"Being thrown into that highly ciritical environment at such a young age can't be good for a young girls development especially consdering the prevalence of body issues in young women today," said Australian Family Association spokesman Jerome Appleby.
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,23521621-10388,00.html