High Fashion or High Risk?

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  BACKGROUND INFO : 

Meet Thylane Loubry Blondeau, a beautiful 10-year-old French model whose above feature appeared in French Vogue. Blondeau is no stranger to the modeling world, though. She's actually been modeling ever since she was 5-years-old.
(Perhaps that may explain the sultry, glossed look in her eyes.)
In this particular fashion spread, Blondeau sports high heels, bold lipstick, heavy eyeliner, and age-inappropriate dresses while seductively sprawling out on leopard print bed covers. 
So.

Is this art or is it premature sexualization?

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 THE CONTROVERSY :  

There is no denying that sex sells in the fashion industry, however, there is a fine line between exploitation and advertising in regards to child models. I have read many articles and opinions about this and people seem to have one of these two views:

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this fashion spread and the model has not been photographed in any way that can be considered sexual. It's just an advertisement for fashion. Nothing more, nothing less.

OR.

This fashion spread only furthers both sexualization of girls and pedophilia. There is no need to have children photographed in seductive positions, wearing pounds of makeup, staring sensuously into the camera, and wearing age-inappropriate clothing and accessories. Sexualized images such as these also have a lasting effect on young girls who see them. An APA taskforce found that such a damaging influence by the media can severely affect how girls think about femininity and sexuality, promoting "appearance and physical attractiveness" as key values. Sexualization is also linked to low self-esteem, eating disorders, and depression.

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JESSICA SAYS :  

The sexualization of young girls is definitely a topic that will be seen again on this blog because I thoroughly believe that it is both disgusting and harmful. It is something that should be stopped and perhaps if enough attention is brought to it, something will finally be done about it. So I do my best to help.

Anyway, if it isn't obvious already, I agree with the second view written above. That fashion spread isn't selling fashion, it's selling sex.

(And what kind of mother would actually purchase these types of clothing and shoes for their 10-year-old anyway?)

Any creepy pedophile or child pornographer can plead that the spread is "artistic license". Bottom line: No 10-year-old should ever be victimized like this; however, judging by the fact that her mother pushed her into modeling at such a young age, Blondeau probably knows nothing else.  

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TO THE READERS :  

• Which view do you guys agree with: artistic and harmless or creepy and sexualized?
• Although this incident didn't happen in the US, there are many things in the media that promote premature female sexualization. Why do you think portions of society around the globe promote this?
• Do you think Blondeau's mother made a poor parenting decision to sell her daughter out to the fashion and modeling industry?

~xxj