Fashion As: Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau Shocking images of 10-YEAR-OLD Vogue

Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau Shocking images of 10-YEAR-OLD Vogue

Wearing heavy make-up and gold stilettos, Thylane Blondeau sprawls seductively on leopard print bed covers.

The provocative pose might seem like nothing unusual for a Vogue fashion shoot – except that Miss Blondeau is just ten years old.

Now the shocking images of the French child model have brought condemnation from parents’ groups and MPs.

Provocative: These highly-sexualised images of 10-year-old Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau from the Tom Ford-edited January issue of French Vogue, have caused concern

And they are likely to take centre stage at a summit called by Prime Minister David Cameron and the Mothers’ Union aimed at cracking down on the sexualisation of children in advertising and the media.

Fleur Dorrell, of the Mothers’ Union, yesterday described the images as ‘physically disturbing’ and said they were ‘blurring all thoughts of beauty’.

And Labour MP Helen Goodman accused Vogue of being ‘disgraceful and totally irresponsible’ by publishing the pictures, saying it should have known better. ‘They have descended into the gutter by doing this,’ she said.

The sexualisation of children is one of the most pernicious ills of our era. They should not have done this.’

Born in the Ivory Coast, Miss Blondeau is the daughter of Véronika Loubry, an actress and television presenter, and former Sheffield Wednesday and Watford footballer Patrick Blondeau.

Suggestive: Images such as these have paved the way for a recent Government initiative in the UK to enforce restrictions on the sexualisation of children in the media and sexual content in advertising

Premature sexualisation: Experts have warned about the psychological implications of such young children being involved in the modelling industry

She walked the catwalk for Jean Paul Gaultier at the age of four and already boasts an impressive modelling CV, with several magazine shoots to her name.

In Paris, her piercing eyes, waist-length hair and pouting lips have brought comparisons with a youthful Brigitte Bardot, who was herself just 15 when she modelled for Elle magazine.

But it is the 15-page spread in a French Vogue issue guest-edited by fashion designer Tom Ford back in January that has emerged at the centre of the current debate on the over-sexualisation of children.

Miss Blondeau’s entry into the fashion world follows a recent trend for younger models.

Hollywood child actresses Elle Fanning, 13, and 14-year-old Hailee Steinfeld have both recently signed modelling deals with Marc Jacobs and Miu Miu respectively.
Lost society: In the Bailey review a survey revealed that 88 per cent of parents agreed that children are under pressure grow up too quickly, with 58 per cent accounting this to celebrity culture

Last night the Mothers’ Union issued a damning criticism of Miss Blondeau’s Vogue pictures.

‘We have grave concerns about the modelling agency who represent Miss Blondeau, which clearly does not know if it represents a child or an adult,’ it said.

‘Photo shoots requiring her, a ten-year-old-girl, to dress in full make-up, teetering heels and a dress with a cleavage cut to the waist across her prepubescent body deny Miss Blondeau the right to be the child she is.’

Bloggers also attacked the images. One said on Tumblr: ‘This isn’t edgy. It’s inappropriate, and creepy.’

Connected: Thylane is the daughter of former French international football player Patrick Blondeau (left), and Véronika Loubry (right), an actress and television presenter

Teen idols: Thylane is not the only youngster being courted by the fashion industry. Elle Fanning, 13 (left) is the face of Marc by Marc Jacobs, while True Grit star Hailee Steinfeld (right) is the latest face of Miu Miu

And behaviour expert Dr Emma Gray said: ‘This picture is the antithesis of what childhood in our society should be; a child being exposed to a world she is not yet equipped to deal with solely to serve the needs of the adults around her.’

Mothers’ Union chief executive Reg Bailey has been commissioned to carry out an independent review on the pressures faced by children and, with Mr Cameron, has invited the fashion and advertising industries to an inquiry in October.

Vogue’s publisher Condé Nast was unavailable for comment last night.