New Delhi: Skimpy bikinis for girls as young as four, sold by leading retailers across UK has got the parents worried, says The Daily Mail. Tiny briefs and bra-style tops for adolescent girls by famous brands are flooding London’s upmarket stores.
While the parents are deeply disturbed by the sale of such outfits, they see it a part of a wider problem—of the sexualisation of young children.
A survey by The Daily Mail found a number of swimsuits for tiny tots designed with tiny triangles of fabric represent an adult bikini. One of the walk-ins at a London store, mother-of-two Anna Heywood said she was shocked to see what was on offer as a swimsuit for her seven-year-old daughter.
"I could not believe what I was seeing. These were bikinis with tiny triangles and straps were clearly copies of swimwear that is aimed at teenagers or older women,” she told the news daily.
"What I object to is the overt sexualisation of very young children by people who should know better," she added.
However the manufacturers say they are only catering to the popular demand. "Our swimsuits - including the bikinis - are generally more generous in cover than those of our competitors, and come in the bright, fun colours that have been popular among kids for decades. We reject any suggestion that they are indecent or provocative," a manufacturer was quoted by Daily Mail.
John Lewis summed up the other stores' views with a statement saying: "We take the responsibility we have as a retailer to parents and children seriously and are very mindful that all garments must be appropriate for the age group they are intended for.
With excerpts from The Daily Mail
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