If you want to search for the pinnacle of this phenomenon, look no further than North West, famed progeny of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. North is a child who has been camera-ready since birth, and she has a closet that would be the envy of any adult. She has pink fur, black fur, and cheetah-print fur. There are moto jackets, gold chains, and custom Balmain. She is a darling little thing, and the irrational part of me surface-level-delights at the sight of her. But I have to wonder how dressing children like this at such a young age, before they can even comprehend the value of what they're wearing, will impact them later on. More important, will it hinder their ability to relate to less fashionably dressed children? The lesson of the haves and the have-nots is one that comes s oon enough. Introducing the concept before a toddler can even string three sentences together seems pretty extreme.
Though money and means obviously play a part in this story, they're far from everything. There are plenty of understated options for the well-heeled and their flock. The importance, whether it's Kmart or Kenzo, is that the kids still look like kids. In my research for this piece, I fell in love with the children of menswear designer Robert Geller and showroom owner Ana Beatriz Lerario. Though far from social media megastars, this couple clearly understands fashion and design. Geller, for his part, worked with Marc Jacobs before helping Alexandre Plokhov launch the cult-favorite (and since shuttered) Cloak. Before opening her showroom, Lerario was a designer in her own right, and pretty much the Brazilian equivalent of Jackie O. Chic as both are—and they are very chic—their kids do not come across as egregious, striving extensions of their tastemaking selves. No one is wearing baby Céline or leather leggings. Tiger shirts and ice cream cones take center stage. You know, youth.
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