Xtralicious Shop - proudly featured by the good editorial team of Vanilla in June issue of Vanilla.

Singapore Women Weekly asks,

“Are we turning our kids into Prostitots?”

I sometimes wonder at the sensibilities of parents who love to dress their daughters in shocking micro minis, overtly sexed-up boots, low cut tops (!) and inappropriately mature or sexually provocative dressing or items etc.

Apparently it’s such a widespread virus now that the magazine had coined a term for these children. As shocking as it sounds, I think the reality itself is more shocking.

Parents sexing up their children and thinking it is cute. Parents sending their kids to modelling agencies, building up their portfolios or whatever they call it, encouraging sexually provocative posing and mature behaviour way beyond their years.

Whenever I hear of “proud mothers” who send their daughters to every “Beauty Contest” in town, whenever I see those children donning inappropriately sexy costumes in “singing contests” on variety shows, singing inappropriately mature songs and executing shockingly inappropriate dance moves, I shudder in horror. And yes, I used the word “INAPPROPRIATELY” three times. That’s how inappropriately appalled I am.

Why do parents not enjoy their children in the purity of their childhood? I believe there is a proper time and place for all things and you all know I am far from being conservative in my dressing. There will be a time in their teenage (or even earlier!) years where you will be fighting to keep the sexy clothes away from them. I simply cannot comprehend this mindless move to bring forward your misery.

Come on. Let kids be kids.

I leave you with this:

Dr Daniel Fung, Senior Consultant of Psychiatric and Chief of the Institute of Mental Health’s Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry says, “Parents might think their kids look cute but I don’t think they want them to be viewed as sexual objects. By buying clothes that make them sexually provocative, it is important for parents to know they are exposing their kids to a fashion sense that they may grow up with. The child might continue to dress that way, get more self conscious and think “looking good” is an important element of being loved.”

I have never been one to follow trends blindly and certainly, I do not like the very popular LV monogram series. However I do respect the heritage and integrity behind the brand.

This, however, is a bit of a damper on the public relations front.

To put it mildly, this is a self inflicted blow. For one, in marketing, not only have they lost an opportunity to gain publicity (ok they don’t need this, but more is always good) and goodwill (never enough) in supporting a charity campaign, they have stupidly shot themselves in the foot because the initials used is not even LV. A tad obnoxious to assume “SL” as under the umbrage of “LV” too, no? “Confusingly similar”, my ass! Anyone worth their fashion salt can tell the difference, not that the original is remotely desirable in the first place. I find the multicolour range hideously grotesque.

In the words of Ms Plesner:

“If you take a closer look, you will also notice, that the
pattern in my drawing is not the pattern which is used in
the design of a Louis Vuitton bag.

The name Louis Vuitton is in no way mentioned or referred
to, neither in my drawing, nor in the campaign as such.

Sometimes recognizable objects are needed to express deeper
meanings, and in their new form they become more than the
objects themselves they become art.”

It’s sad that a fashion house so steeped in decades of pride in their artisans and workmanship, failed to grasp the very essence of… art.

And to come up in battalion style arms against an artist canvassing for charity, and when no mention or inference of the name was made anywhere, for crissakes. Leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. Remember David vs Goliath.

Time to fire someone on their PR team or the PR firm and the one who took the concept of intellectual property a tad too far.

As you can see, I am caught in a nature phase lately. They go so well with my tube dresses.