Metropolitan Life: Do you want to be a 12-year-old supermodel?
Would any child these days turn down the chance to be fashionable and famous? Matthew Brace finds other London pre-teens have been there, done that
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sean Boddington: I've been modelling since I was ten. I've got an agent and a tutor, and I've done a TV advert for Marks & Spencer, for their clothes. But I'd never do catwalk work yet. I think if this girl just stays with magazine photos and fashion stuff it's all right, but if this company she's working for get her to do catwalk things and fashion shows, that's not right. She's too young for all that. But if she's getting paid pounds 500 a day ... That's what I do it for, the money.
Jason Jones: If she came in here now I'd tell her to get a life. I'd ask her: "Do you have an education?" She's growing up a lot too quickly. If I were given pounds 500 a day to do it, I wouldn't turn it down I suppose. But it's not right. She'll end up like Kate Moss, all thin and like a stick. The whole fashion thing changes all the time. You buy a football kit now and next season they're not wearing it any more. So, this girl might look good now and be popular, but they'll go off her.
Nadia Edwards-Dashti: If I did anything like that my friends would be so jealous, always having a go at me. If they rang up and said are you coming out, I'd say no I can't, I'm modelling tonight, and they'd say I was boring and stupid. I'd end up with no friends left. And you'd get loads of pressure from your parents and your family saying do this and don't do this. I think she's far too young to be doing modelling. It's not so bad if people start doing it when they are 16 or 17. When she gets older she'll think she's fat and start going on slimming courses and she might get anorexic. Models do that all the time.
Luke Harris: I went to Florida to do some modelling for Empire Stores Catalogue. It was brilliant. I think it's all right for kids of our age to model in magazines and catalogues - I've also been in a film - but they shouldn't be allowed to do catwalk stuff. It's not right for them to be walking up and down in front of people wearing all that stuff when they're still young. I won't get any money from my modelling until I'm 18 because my parents are keeping it for me until then.
Sharmaine Harford: She's growing up too fast. If you're 12 and you're modelling you should only be allowed to do bits and pieces, not work for a big company and get all that money. From now on she'll want to get better and better and beat the other supermodels and the only way to do that is to be really thin, so she's going to get anorexic like loads of these models do. I did some modelling between the ages of three and six but my mum took me out of it. I wouldn't go out wearing what this girl's wearing in these fashion pictures. She looks a mess.
Louise Crabbe: It's up to her what she does with her life, but doing that modelling at 12 is too young. I'd like to ask her: "Why can't you be yourself?''
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments