Why pick an extremely young girl as an ad face?

[iluvjeisa]

I don't know...those ads look very angelic, especially the first one. It's nothing like selling wh*re thongs to 12 yo girls, which seems to be common at the moment.

 

[tigerrouge]

Tara D'Ambrosio looks like she's helping mummy put on her make-up, but these days, that might be perceived as a dangerous come-on to the army of paedophiles which are apparently lurking outside the door of every family home. Paranoia has increased to the point where sections of normal society now perceive children on a sexual level, even if that comes from an intent to protect them.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ And even so I think people underestimate the sexual nature of children ...

My perception is that you guys have considerably less crazies in Europe? Would love to know why ... tell us your secret

 

[iluvjeisa]

^Hmmm....well, I have encountered enough pedophiles here in Europe to feel they do lurk out there. The point is that they're usually pretty prolific so just one can cause a lot of harm.

So, no, no army but it's not exceedingly rare either. Sadly. But I know, if you haven't seen the evidence of it, it's simply hard to believe.

 

[saann]

advertising doesn't work with reality, it's not about presenting the customers as they are it's about presenting that ideal of what they could be (which in most cases is impossible)

youth is something that's put on a very high pedestal, especially in fashion. almost everything that has to do with aging is considered ugly. young people can dress in every style and look good, but older people have to dress for their age. we should be at our most beautiful when we're teenagers (reality says otherwise) and in a business that is all about what we see on the surface it's no wonder that youth takes such a large space.

First, it's the thrill of the new in general. Second, it's the next big thing. Third, it's the allure of the unknown.

I agree with this as well. it's all about finding the next kate moss, and preferably finding them before anyone else so modeling scouts tend to look for younger models.


What I find funny with fashion advertising is that, while you have a 15 yearold model clothes for women around 30, you still put make up and clothes on her to look older. I guess it's all about creating this person that doesn't exist, a grown woman with the youthfulness of a teenager. A somewhat innocent/grown look, kind of like a less sexual lolita.

 

[Street_a_Licious]

i'm so over those 15 year old girls with bodies like rails, trying to look 'sexy'.

 

[balmain1914]

I know the difference between "she's young" and "she looks young". Yes, ad is magical, it's about fantasy. Men always desire young girls in affair and women wanna stay young for good (I just watched the movie "Chloe" and I got this)

Dior is war, as I said. Galliano selected Marion, Eva Green and other aged female ladies to be face of Dior, I can see that. But Karlie Kloss??? Seriously? Of course, KK is a pretty girl, I love her, but how could you link Dior and her from any possible angle? And it's not just a season, KK has been seen on its ads and walked as first face for nearly a year.

Talking about Stella T, my favourite model. I am so glad to see BALENCIAGA captured her on this season's ad. In previous seasons, some supermodels made a so-call "comback", but it didnt last that long as I expected. I do hope brands can consider these faces, not just taking teenagers to sell their products.

 

[williscrazy]

Advertisement is somehow unreal in any cases, they are fantasies that the companies' targeted audience wants. For fashion brands, it's the liveliness, young and elegance they will probably capture most audiences, you can be elegance and lively if you are in your 30s but you can doubtfully be young, so using an teenage or young faces probably best captures some of the fantasies that the customers wants, and they somehow can possibly attract younger customers. I doubt that if Chanel uses a 50+ woman for their perfume/beauty/clothing campaign, it will help their sells.

Talking about beauty/perfume campaigns, I believe the reason they uses younger face is that it can be an "illusion" for the customers, to somehow believe that if they apply this cosmetic/perfume, they will somehow become younger or feel younger, thus feel better and prettier for themselves, but that's definitely not all the cases, just the majorities.

 

[iluvjeisa]

Advertisement is somehow unreal in any cases, they are fantasies that the companies' targeted audience wants. For fashion brands, it's the liveliness, young and elegance they will probably capture most audiences, you can be elegance and lively if you are in your 30s but you can doubtfully be young, so using an teenage or young faces probably best captures some of the fantasies that the customers wants, and they somehow can possibly attract younger customers. I doubt that if Chanel uses a 50+ woman for their perfume/beauty/clothing campaign, it will help their sells.

Talking about beauty/perfume campaigns, I believe the reason they uses younger face is that it can be an "illusion" for the customers, to somehow believe that if they apply this cosmetic/perfume, they will somehow become younger or feel younger, thus feel better and prettier for themselves, but that's definitely not all the cases, just the majorities.

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.

 

[williscrazy]

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.

True, it's the fame that brings sell to the campaign, it's still fantasy, becoming like one of the ladies that have millions and billions is definitely some women's dream, but when it comes to more unfamiliar faces like Jac, Sigrid, the thing they are selling is the youthfulness instead of fame; though I would love to see Carmen Dell'Orefice to star in a Chanel/Dior/LV campaign, I believe she would like amazing

 

[*Bianca*]

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]

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]

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]

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