Witchery models ' barely out of nappies'
The models slouch against their props with the studied sullenness of seasoned clothes horses, wearing beige trench coats and oversized sunglasses.
There's just one problem: these pint-sized posers are barely out of nappies.
Australian retailer Witchery, the latest adult label to offer a children's range, has come under fire from critics who claim the marketing is another example of how society is turning kids into mini-adults.
On Witchery's website, the child models pout and pose just like grown-ups, modelling sophisticated clothing tailored for the smaller consumer.
Professor Jennifer Craik, from RMIT University's school of fashion and textiles, said the label was one of a growing number of retailers branching into the lucrative children's market.
"It's happening quite widely across the board," she said.
"Quite often it may only be a couple of the images that are particularly provocative or a couple of the outfits, but gradually a picture builds up of the major shift in the way we're promoting these kinds of clothes."
