Australian Fashion Week organizers faced a public outcry recently over hiring 14-year-old Polish girl Monika Jagaciak as the top model for next month's event in Sydney. Fashion week chief organizer Simon Lock took a stand on the issue of child models.
Lock stated that there has been criticism of the industry in the past for promoting the Lolita syndrome and then said that was something the AFW would not stand for. The South African Press Association reported that Lock said, "The designers love these models as coat hangers for their clothes. They don't want to exploit their sexuality in any way whatsoever."
One of Jagaciak's recent modeling assignments saw her under a shower posing in a white swimming outfit.
Lock's stand against young models lasted until mid-day, when rather than announce a change of heart himself, the AFW released a statement on his behalf stating that no models under 16 would be allowed to appear at the event and that Jagaciak could stay at school.
The statement said, "Policies are constantly revisited and endorsed by the AFW's industry advisory board to ensure the event best served the industry and reflected community attitudes towards issues surrounding the fashion industry."
This is the second time the AFW has caused a commotion. Last year Lock defended his right to send really thin models down the catwalk. He reportedly said that self-regulation was working and there was no need to ban waifs from working in the industry.
Source : AHN Media Corp
Lock stated that there has been criticism of the industry in the past for promoting the Lolita syndrome and then said that was something the AFW would not stand for. The South African Press Association reported that Lock said, "The designers love these models as coat hangers for their clothes. They don't want to exploit their sexuality in any way whatsoever."
One of Jagaciak's recent modeling assignments saw her under a shower posing in a white swimming outfit.
Lock's stand against young models lasted until mid-day, when rather than announce a change of heart himself, the AFW released a statement on his behalf stating that no models under 16 would be allowed to appear at the event and that Jagaciak could stay at school.
The statement said, "Policies are constantly revisited and endorsed by the AFW's industry advisory board to ensure the event best served the industry and reflected community attitudes towards issues surrounding the fashion industry."
This is the second time the AFW has caused a commotion. Last year Lock defended his right to send really thin models down the catwalk. He reportedly said that self-regulation was working and there was no need to ban waifs from working in the industry.
Source : AHN Media Corp
