Underage boy is new face of Versace

| Posted Jun 29th 2007 9:03AM by Jonathon Morgan
Filed under: Designers, Kids and Babies

The fashion industry is obsessed with youth, which is why it's not uncommon to see girls as young as 14 modeling for Dior, YSL, and other major brands -- but it's not often that the industry uses underage boys.

That's why Tuki Brando, the new face of Versace, is such a surprise. At 16-years-old, the high school student will soon be a fashion icon. While he's certainly no stranger to the fashion world and entertainment industry -- he's the grandson of Marlon Brando, and son of a former model -- he's still really young.

Style blog Fashionista thinks he's an attractive choice, but asks: "...will he entice grown men to buy into the Versace brand?" And they have a point. For better or for worse, youth, femininity, and beauty are often synonymous in women's fashion -- but the same doesn't necessarily hold true for men. I certainly wouldn't be interested in clothing that's trying to make me look like an effeminate teenager, and I'd be surprised if other men didn't feel the same.

Tags: advertising, Dior, marlon brando, MarlonBrando, Prada, tuki brando, TukiBrando, versace, YSL