One of our big Top Model peeves is that nearly all the girls are too old to begin a modeling career. Right now, most of the top girls are 19 and 20, and the ones that are 25-30 (Irina, Raquel, Angela, Missy) have been working for a long time. Even Agyness, 24, has been stomping in England since early 2000, although her big pickup didn’t come for two years.
But if Tyra’s girls are too old, are the V Model finalists a bit too young?
We realize that Gemma and Stam started working around age 15, but two of the five V finalists - who win a contract with Supreme and a spread on the magazine’s website – are in junior high, with Tennessee native Ashley Hanks (left) clocking in at thirteen years old.
She looks incredible, as do all the other girls, and we’re grateful to V for keeping their search realistically focused on girls who can really be models.
But there’s one problem:
If Ashley (or 14-year-old Dara, or 15-year-old Amanda) wins the Supreme contract, they won’t be able to participate in Fashion Week – at least not according to the CFDA, who ruled last year that girls under 16 can’t walk.
Tags: Supreme, Tyra Banks, V Magazine
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I’m all for fresh new faces, but I do have to question if 13 is a bit too young. It just seems slightly ridiculous that a 13 year old would be selling middle aged women clothing. Rachel Clark was 19 or 20 when she started, wasn’t she? I would much rather purchase the clothes she’s modeling than something some 13 year old is modeling. Maybe that’s just me.
while there are exceptions, I feel like very few 13 year old girls have the maturity to handle the pressure of the industry. Plus, a girl that age should be trying to survive middle school, not working in an industry obsessed with her looks.
I agree with the poster above about 13 being too young. Personally, I think models should be between 18-25, maybe even older, unless they’re modeling for things aimed at the Cosmo Girl/Seventeen market. But what am I to say? As a petite activist, most of the fashion world already find me weird.
Top Model has a rule that you have to be 18, mostly so that the girls can sign their contracts themselves and their parents don’t have to be involved at all. It’s all for tv, the show has nothing really to do with modelling. Arguably the most sucessful alum is Elyse from Season 1, and she’s only sucessful in Asia.
I for one would much rather have mature girls shilling for products than adolescents. The really young girls just make me sad.
Fun Piece of trivia: One of the Season 1 ANTM girls is now on Deal or No Deal, after having posed for Playboy. That’s the real indication of ANTMs influence.
this is ridiculous. adults should advertise these clothes, not prepubescent girls who look like they’re dressing up in their mommy’s clothes. this whole obsession seems a little lolita-esque to me
She does not look fabulous! Look at her legs! I mean, I know at 13 you can be naturally like that, but what is she gonna do next year when she goes through puberty and she’s “too fat” for fashion? Little girls should not be selling expensive clothes, nor should they be the “ideal standard of beauty”.
I should also add that girls who start modeling at say, 16 or 18 may very well have a LONGER career than someone who is 13. A 16 year old’s figure is pretty much set. It isn’t going to change a great deal providing that she maintains it. Not so for someone who is 13.
I definetly think 13 is too young. I mean, I was thirteen just over a year ago, and let me tell you, 99% of girls at that age are not mature enough to be modelling, with how much pressure there is to look good and skinny. That 13-year-old may be superskinny now (she makes me feel like a giant obese person) but eventually her weight, as mentioned above, will catch up with her height, and then she’ll be “too fat.” Or she’ll end up with an eating disorder or something. (Or maybe I’m just jealous! lol)
As if your preteen and pubescent years are not already fraught with enough self-esteem and identity issues, you have to throw in a short-lived career in a field where you are solely judged on your body-mass index…how sad.
Speaking as a 14 yr old, if I was 5’10″ and ridiculously thin and offered a modeling contract from Supreme, I would take it. People need to be reminded that my generation is maturing faster than ever, you really have to think from our perspective and not just look at the numbers.
Plus starting early gives you time to take it slowly…however personally I would prefer to finish high school before embarking on a full fledged modeling career.
how irresponsible and conformist of fashionista.com to criticize anyone for beginning a modeling career after the age of 18. as long as the the model has the right body/face to best show off the clothes/make-up…what is the issue?
unless of course, this blog was written by a pedophile/dirty old man (who *surprise surprise* carry all of the financial clout in the fashion industry)
i think the girl’s beautiful.
and if she wants to model let her model.
if she didn’t want to wear revealing clothes in her photo shoots, she would have written that on her contract.
the girls who are starting modeling young are obviously meant to model.
its better to start at age 13 and have more experience than start at 18 and 19 and get turned down.