The children of the rich do enjoy the luxury of wearing designer clothes at a very young age. Although it may seem a little precocious,these people truly do not care whether a couple of (hundred) thousand dollars comes in or out of the bank every day. It's a whole different league and lifestyle, and you can't judge them.
However,we now bear witness to a new phenomenon: The rise of the couture children. Here,I'm not talking about clothes designed for the super rich. I'm writing on designer clothes made for the the 'mass' market. 'Mass' if you are fairly wealthy or well off,I should specify.
Designers creating cheaper clothes for stores like H&M,Topshop, New Look etc?Awesome! Providing you don't drastically change weight,you can keep those clothes for years to come.
But what about creating clothes for kids that grow almost every day?
Designers think that it's a great-and very marketable-idea. More and more designers are already jumping in to what could be the most lucrative business in fashion since cosmetics and perfume.
Dior, for example, not only offers clothes for the (very lucky) children since 1967, but sells a selection of toys, feeding bottles and so on for your adorable toddler. Take for example these soft toy playing blocks, that are £47.95.Or this 'le trousseau de Baby Girls Pink Cashmere Set', £257.
Fashion has always existed on the basis that, whether you want to accept that reality or not, it plays to a certain degree on women's (and men's) insecurities of not fitting in. Therefore to 'feel and look good' you need to 'buy the latest X/Y/Z' - quite a moral dilemma. Fashion survives on insecurity.
Embracing fashion is wonderful - it gives you the chance to play with so many looks and try styles that were 'unacceptable/not in fashion' before, as well as expressing your personality. It provides another medium of self-expression. But letting fashion take over your life when you don't have the money to do so ends in bankruptcy, huge self-esteem and insecurity issues, and lots of failed relationships (be it social,family or otherwise).
This is why although I love the idea of people (that can afford to do so) dressing up their kids in designer wear, I can't help but think: Would those insecurities end up affecting children too?
Think about it.
Privileged children tend to stay in the same circles and grow up together. They probably won't have any insecurities as mummy or daddy can buy them whatever they want, there is no shortage of money.
But what about the mass market children? Those who the designers are targeting more now than ever?
Imagine a school of mixed social classes.One kid,X, comes to school in a Lanvin coat.
Her classmate Y, seeing the coat,wants one just like that because it's so pretty.She comes home and tells her mum she wants one too.
X told her all about her new coat and how her mum went all the way to this super cool shop to buy it specially for her,you see.
Y's mum doesn't know how to react because she doesn't have that kind of money.X unknowingly has already associated "mummy loves me so much that's why she bought me such a beautiful coat from an expensive shop" and has transmitted it to Y. I should note that combined with the phenomenon of 'super brainy children' - where parents try everything for their kids to be tops at school - the feeling is stressed further.For example:"If you do well at school you can get W dress"
Lanvin's Childrenswear collection
Y's mum can't give the coat to Y. The latter feels bad. The feeling grows worse every time she sees X. She doesn't understand why she can't have the same coat and thinks that its both her mum's and X's fault.
The insecurity begins and grows and evolves into numerous psychological problems.
It doesn't stop at the kids.
Inevitably,some kind of competition will grow between the mothers too. "A's mother has bought her kid a Dior dress and so has C's mum,I have to do something so as not to lose face" type scenario.
Do not imagine for a second that children aren't affected by clothes or other material possessions - they are.
I'm not saying that this phenomenon isn't good or whatever, I'm just analysing the concepts involved.
It was only when writing this article and looking up how many designers have produced childrenswear that I understood just how big this business really is.
These websites for instance all cater to your (expensive) fashion needs for your little darling.
www.childrensalon.com
www.alexandalexa.com
www.kidscavern.co.uk
boutiqueforchildren.com
You can choose from hundreds of designers. HUNDREDS. One aspect of fashion is business. And this one is incredibly lucrative.
Could it ever happen to Mauritius?
As to couture,no. We don't have couture here.But elitist concepts? Sure.
The most common insecurity is the school bag. As most kids wear uniforms, the bag is what differentiates them. Everyone scrambles for a Billabong bag, even though they may not be able to afford it. It's a status symbol. If the concept of couture comes here and the Mauritian mentality hasn't been able to evolve since then,we are in trouble.
My Week
First three days at university!
For makeup, I have gone for a natural face so far with a coloured eyeliner on the upper eyelid. It was a huge trend for Summer 2011 and even though we are in winter, I thought it would be good to inject a bit of life in a greyish toned atmosphere. All I do is stick my sponge-tip applicator in some water,wipe off the excess and dip it in powder eyeshadow. I then glide it over my eyelid in a thin line.
Day 1: Wore my Jenni Fashion Black Jacket with dark silver detailing,with a white long sleeved top with 'neat frayed' detailing plus black jeans from MANGO and flat ankle length ALDO boots.
Day 2: Vintage pair of straight leg jeans,burgundy sweater and a black jacket (I have a thing for jackets) paired with a pair of ankle length boots.
Day 3:Brown dress with the same black jacket and boots as Day 2 with opaque black tights.
I'm really excited about choosing a new outfit everyday.Wearing a uniform for the last 12 years got boring!
The trick is to look simple,neat and still 'blendable' with other students.
Things noted:
There was a girl with the most amazing peacock feather earrings I have ever seen.She had a whole hippie vibe going on,with reddish brown long hair,loose tunic,tights...
Lots of other girls opted for the jeans/boots/jacket combo.
Another had really cute leopard print ballerinas.I think she must have a selection of the best printed ballerinas,because today she was wearing zebra print ones.
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Hope you have a great week and amazing weekend!
xoxo
Alex
