The Controversy of Children Fashion Branding

By: Edwina Triwibowo

When we heard the words of Kids Fashion Week, we imagined puffy faces, little humans, and high-end fashion couture elaborate into one uber cuteness union. Some ‘aww-ness’ are also highly expected to stuffing the front row. Nonetheless the proud parents that are ogling their kids with starry eyes riveted to the runway. Despite all the excitements of the first Global Kids’ Fashion Week in London, some questions and protests have also arisen. Are this runway shows for kids a step too far? How expensive is too expensive? Moreover, is marketing a luxury to children can create a bad effect?

Based on TODAY Moms poll, 84% of people called the Global Kids’ Fashion Week is ‘inappropriate.’ But on the other hand, GraziaDaily.co.uk said that is was ‘cute as hell.’ As the existence of luxury children’s clothing label is not entirely surprising, the fashion week itself seems like an appropriate marketing strategy. However, Vanessa Friedman from Financial Times has disagreed in terms of the nature of what kids’ clothes should be. She stated that kids’ fashion should be flexible whereas kids’ fashion week may give parents different options of kids to choose their own space to be who they are. Another different perspective comes from fashion blogger, Ian P. Wilson. He thinks that adults should care about kids’ style because fashion is not only about aesthetics. It can create a bold statement about what we support, who we support, and what we want for our children.

There are still many more pro and contra regarding the kids’ designer clothing. But the more important is probably what the kids think about this issue. So here we introduce you to Tom Sykes, the 1970s’ of Romeo Beckham. He has been posed several times for his mom’s clothing company, Valerie Goad, in some high caliber magazine such as Vogue UK. Sykes explained that his mom used to cut the fabric herself in her studio, and then send the pieces by post a few dedicated outworkers who hem, sew, stitch, and smock each piece to order. Her handmade clothes are considered as luxurious brand since the price could reach around $140 to $300. By this reason he concludes that in terms of luxurious brand, he knows that they can be worth it, if they last, made to measure, hand-made, and with plenty of fabric to let out, it should last him three or four years and can then be handed on. But in the case of London Kids’ Fashion Week, the price is just not worth it. He is pretty sure they are not sewn together by nice ladies in English country cottages. He also doubts whether many of them would last as much as three seasons, let alone three years.

Whereas there is no doubt that the price is quite ridiculously expensive for civilians, how about the moral pressure that could possibly creep in those poor kids? Writer Tanith Carey stated that kids’ fashion commercials can lead to pressure in terms of how they look, and presumably can lead to the love meter assumption that is only based on how much your rich parents spend on you. Of course we do not want this everywhere in our future existence. Except if you live in Suburgatory.

To agree or disagree, of course, will be our own responsibility to choose. But we need to remember that, eventually, everything should be based on what is the best for our kids. So if you are parents that as powerful-rich-famous-gorgeous-hot-petite-snob as the Becks, then it is perfectly okay and normal to put a $600 mini trousers on your kids.