That these pics on the Zara kids clothes website are inappropriate

[PenguinBarnotBird]

Looking for summer shoes for DD online this morning and came across these pics which made me feel uncomfortable. Like an attempt at doing high fashion photography for kids clothes. The poses feel inappropriate for kids this young. Also the sandals are fugly but that’s an aside.

I agree with you but I can’t put my finger on why. I suppose, as another pp said, it’s jarring to see kids in the context of what is normally adult women.
While I agree with other pps that it’s normal poses that kids will do innocently, it’s different bc a photographer has actually purposely got them in that position with the intention of putting it on the Zara website. I’d rather see truly candid shots of the kids playing/talking

I am usually a bit 'oh come one' with things like this, let children be children etc etc - but I agree with the op. There is something 'off' about them.

So why did Zara choose photos that obviously have about 50% of people feel uncomfortable?

Because the people at Zara are in the 50% that think this is ridiculous possibly.

@nancywhitehead

I agree they're a bit weird, especially the moped one, which seems to be shot specifically to show her long legs. But all of them are odd really.

The one where she's sitting on the steps, someone has told her to sit like that with her feet apart and shot it from that angle, from below. She could sit with her feet together and shoot from above and the photo of the clothes would be just as good.

The sportswear one seems OK but the setting is weird, next to the bed in tight clothes.

I think they're all a bit strange and borderline sexualised. It seems like someone has really thought it through so people could complain that they are semi-sexual but it could also be argued that they aren't. Really sneaky and weird.

I agree. It seems like one of those cases where something feels off but there's just enough plausible deniability that you wonder whether you're imagining it.

I wonder if we're so used to pictures of adult women styled to look younger/more innocent that pictures of children styled in the same way feel uncomfortable?

@Alsohuman

So why did Zara choose photos that obviously have about 50% of people feel uncomfortable?

Because the people at Zara are in the 50% that think this is ridiculous possibly.

Given that they are people whose profession is to make a certain impression with images, and who are involved in the fashion industry and know how it works, that seems very very unlikely.

I would think they are less likely than the general population to be unaware how people will perceive them.

@Alsohuman

So why did Zara choose photos that obviously have about 50% of people feel uncomfortable?

Because the people at Zara are in the 50% that think this is ridiculous possibly.

They spend a lot of money on advertising campaigns, don’t think they don’t consider every interpretation of these photos. They purposely went for something that would bring up this discussion. They put this real child into a conversation about whether she’s “sexualised” on purpose, to make money.

@4PawsGood

All three are a bit crotch focussed to my eye.

Precisely. These photos turn my stomach.

@SuperCaliFragalistic

I wonder if we're so used to pictures of adult women styled to look younger/more innocent that pictures of children styled in the same way feel uncomfortable?

Of course, the context is the whole problem.

Back in the 90's, aside from the amateur porn ads, CK had a short lived campaign that showed kids wearing CK underwear, and nothing else.

Their claim was that they were meant to look like candid family photos - pretty much what people on this thread have been saying about these Zara photos.

In the context of a brand, and a market, that was pushing very sexualised images of young models, some as young as 12, people didn't really buy that they weren't supposed to be edgy. Just like they didn't buy that the fake amateur porn ones were not calculated to be edgy.

Oh these poses are fine. I've seen some very awful ones where the girls are actually posing - mini glamour model style with a hint of 'something', just to sell shoes or clothes and I thought I'd be seeing them here. These look like normal kids home-action photos to me.

The poses are too adult for the age of the child, no?

I don't think it's the poses that's the issue, more the angle of the camera.
If 1, had been taken from above it would be fine, 2, Taken from the side, 3, Mmm, why anyone would be on a moped in swimwear is beyond me. But change the angle and it wouldn't look so bad.

Having looked at all the bizarre shots of women posted in that link by SirenSays, not one woman has her legs open nor is the camera focused on crotch area. The women would know this to be inappropriate when the children would not. Sexual exploitation and sickening.

The marketing people know exactly what they're doing when they give the creative brief to the photographer, and it's completely inappropriate and creepy.

Gross.

I agree OP, they give me the creeps.

They are pushing the boundary of what is acceptable.

It’s not what you asked but I bloody HATE the Zara website, not only is it impossible to just search things you’d like to look at, half the time the picture doesn’t actually show the outfit fully as it more focused on the models stupid poses. Does my head in!

I see what some people are saying. I believe if singled out, they can easily seem that way but when scattered hopefully among other less uncomfortable ones, they look alright to me.

Perhaps they do to me because I've seen much worse and was expecting that sort. Definitely agree that there's sexual exploitation of girls in seemingly innocent photos.

[quote Lweji]These are the boys.
www.zara.com/uk/en/kids-boy-shoes-l241.html?v1=1676961

Notice bare legs, and legs akimbo.

And other photos with girls.
www.zara.com/uk/en/kids-girl-shoes-l404.html?v1=1675303&ts=1618311368874[/quote]
After seeing those the pics make me even more uncomfortable actually.

None of the boys are in swimsuits. None of the boys have crotch shots or really weird uncomfortable positions.

The other girls photos, I quite like. Weirdly enough though, none of the other pics have the "underskirt" angle and crotch focus. Just the swimsuit one. I wonder why.

Dresses,leggings,jeans etc are quite normal and fun/cool.

What I don't get is how posting photos that are apparently appealing to paedophiles would help them sell more children's shoes. What is the motive?

@kowari

What I don't get is how posting photos that are apparently appealing to paedophiles would help them sell more children's shoes. What is the motive?

I think it's not so much a marketing technique, but symptomatic of a culture which subtly sexualises younger and younger girls. It's so subtle that 50% of the people in this thread don't even think it's happening.

I agree OP. I find it hard to articulate why they make me feel uncomfortable. It's more than the clothes, the angles, the 'taken by a family member' vibe, the retro look, all of which taken independently would maybe seem innocent enough. It's the combination which feels very seedy.

Those photos make me feel off. Don't like that at all

Some of the boys have crotch focus..

@QuentininQuarantino

Some of the boys have crotch focus..

That one is much more odd than any of the girls' ones!