S/O Kidichic- child models

corolla ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 5:26 pm

Ok, not sure where to put this.

S/O of the Kidichic pronunciation thread got me thinking.

Why do so many "higher end" frum children's clothing stores that advertise in magazines or on social media use child models that don't look Jewish? I'm not talking about skin color. I mean boys without a yarmulka or girls older than 4-5 in non tznius clothing?

It really bothers me. They are advertising in a frum publication with frum readers. Why not use models that look frum (even if they aren't)?

P.S. this has nothing to do with Kidichic in particular. Just a S/O because it's on the same topic.

↑ corolla ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 5:29 pm

missknowitall wrote:

They are paid models from a non Jewish agency. That’s who most Jewish companies use. They want professionals and there aren’t really Jewish kids who model professionally.

Ok, but why can't they make them look like Jewish kids for a Jewish store?

Odelyah ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 5:52 pm

OK so it sounds like when you say they don't look Jewish, you mean they don't look frum. I hear. I didn't notice the boys' lack of yarmulkes (maybe because I was looking at girls' clothing) but the thing that always bothered me was how they had very skinny girls in too-small sizes and the skirts were way above their knees. I mean, I always thought the entire raison d'etre of these stores was to provide tznius clothing. And then people told me no, that's just the models on the website, really the dresses cover the knees on non-emaciated girls wearing the correct size. I found this really disturbing, it made me uncomfortable browsing the website with my daughters. They're bombarded enough in the world with non-Jewish images of fashion, and what looks good, a frum clothing website should be a bit more positive, no? And the other thing that bothers me even more, is the borderline s-xy poses and facial expressions on the young models. excuse me?? the non-Jewish stores do not, for the most part, have young kids modeling with that kind of too-cool jaded s-xy pouty face. I don't care if they don't wear yarmulkes or look like the United Colors of Benetton, but c'mon they could have wholesome normal kid expressions on their faces. Sad

↑ missknowitall

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 5:54 pm

corolla wrote:

Ok, but why can't they make them look like Jewish kids for a Jewish store?

Why? I don’t think anyone has that need. Do you never shop in non Jewish stores? You need to see the clothing how the model looks doesn’t make a difference.

giftedmom

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 6:00 pm

Odelyah wrote:

lol have you browsed zara recently?

↑ corolla ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 6:19 pm

Odelyah wrote:

Agree with every word of this

↑ corolla ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 6:27 pm

missknowitall wrote:

Why? I don’t think anyone has that need. Do you never shop in non Jewish stores? You need to see the clothing how the model looks doesn’t make a difference.

Of course I shop in non Jewish stores. I don't expect them to have tznius models because they're not Jewish.

But the Jewish stores don't have non frum clientle. They're niche shops in large frum communities. It looks very strange when you have an advertisement clearly referencing Pesach shopping (for example) with a boy who is obviously older than 2 not wearing a yarmulka or a girl with her knees and elbows showing.

It's not even about tznius. I'm not makpid to only look at tznius pictures. But it just looks very out of place for a frum store catering to frum clients.

Hamayvin Yavin

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 6:36 pm

I haven’t seen their ads so I don’t know if they’re tznius or not but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tottinis Lizzy Savetzky line isn’t modeled in a way that’s considered modest in most orthodox circles. She herself is MO and I would hardly expect her to have her own line modeled in a way that she wouldn’t have her kids wear them

zigi

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:38 pm

I like the diversity. Like tottini. Bh there are every colors in the rainbow of yidden. I agree with the too tight dresses I want to see how the clothes will fit. I like the pictures from the gap I can see how the clothes are meant to fit.
The lack of yalmulkes on the models I guess it's better than really bad photo shop. Maybe just have kids wear them?

↑ Odelyah ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:42 pm

zigi wrote:

ITA --which is why "looking Jewish" isn't really a thing. but I realized OP meant looking frum, or at least wholesome and tzanua, and I get that 100%

↑ Odelyah

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 7:53 pm

btw it had been a few years for me (we graduated to Udel, Fame, etc.) so I just glanced at the kidichicusa website and just FTR the boys, at least on the homepage, were wearing yarmulkes. and some (most?) of the female models had normal kid poses/faces. but I did still see lots of exposed knees.. I wasn't speaking specifically about Kidichic anyway, it's something I'd noticed in general.

↑ corolla ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 8:08 pm

Odelyah wrote:

ITA --which is why "looking Jewish" isn't really a thing. but I realized OP meant looking frum, or at least wholesome and tzanua, and I get that 100%

Yup. I realize that not everyone is Ashkenazi from Brooklyn.

B'Syata D'Shmya ↓

Sun, Jul 07 2024, 8:13 pm

corolla wrote:

1. they already have the frum market and wont mind attracting the non Jewish or non frum market as well.
2. perhaps those models are easier to access and cheaper. wont renege and ask to pull the ad cause their MIL is upset.
3. perhaps they think the look they pay for is more attractive and will bring out a more successful outcome.

↑ corolla

Mon, Jul 08 2024, 4:01 am

B'Syata D'Shmya wrote:

This makes me really sad for some reason.