Should the Beckhams have let their 10-year-old son Romeo model for Burberry?

Jim Shelley is a journalist and a member of Grazia’s fashion jury

Personally, I’m amazed that 10-year-old Romeo Beckham’s appearance in the new Burberry ads has caused so much fuss. What did people think he was going to be? A plumber, perhaps? A dustman? Or, even worse (and even more unlikely, with his parentage), a journalist? No doubt a lot of readers, particularly parents, will criticise the Beckhams for allowing their son to feature in such a high-profile campaign at such a tender age. But to my mind, their passion for fashion is so all consuming that David and Victoria should be congratulated on waiting so long.

You can hear Victoria now: «No, David! Not until he reaches double figures. Then we’ll launch him as a global superstar.» At least fashion is something they both take an interest in, which is putting it mildly. Every week thousands of young kids play for the school football team or appear in the school play, or ballet, looking in vain to see whether their parents have turned up to watch them. At least Romeo knows that if (or, rather, when) he appears on his first catwalk, Posh and Becks will be there – in the front row.

Luisa Dillner is a writer and doctor

Has there been a fuss? I hadn’t noticed. On Mumsnet, the great barometer of maternal opinion, there’s been no outcry. One mum says he looks gorgeous and another that he looks like his dad, which some would say is the same thing. So allow me to come up with some tight-lipped objections. This isn’t really about Romeo modelling Burberry clothes that only parents with more money than sense would buy. It isn’t even about what he’s going to be when he grows up – although if it was about his future career then some of us would prefer he follow his dad’s footsteps and become a footballer (England’s not short of simpering male models but we could do with someone who can put a free kick into the top right-hand corner when we need to get into the World Cup finals). I’m not saying it’s a heinous crime to put your child on the catwalk but it’s not the most enriching thing for your child to do. There’s no inherent skill involved in a child modelling, unless being placid, biddable, thin and able to smile at strangers are «qualities» worth celebrating.

Suppose we move away from the glamour of the Beckhams to the aspirations of more ordinary parents: how do we feel about children missing school to attend a casting call for some kids’ clothes catalogue?

JS You’re definitely right that there’s something more heinous about «ordinary» parents encouraging/forcing their kids into modelling than the Beckhams doing it. It’s usually pushy parents seeing dollar signs when they watched their first episode of Outnumbered – smug mums who are convinced their little darlings are more gorgeous than everyone else’s. At least no one can argue Romeo is living out his parents’ sad, unfulfilled fame fantasies. The Beckhams are surprisingly well adjusted, so there’s no reason why Romeo couldn’t combine some kind of career in fashion with a good education. Lily Cole got a double first at Cambridge.

I disagree that there’s «no skill involved in modelling» and that it is inherently negative. Surely such a rich experience can only be a good thing for any kid? There’s an unpleasant stigma about models in this country. I don’t see why being a footballer would elevate Romeo more than a model. We’ve got enough greedy, dumb divas in football and no male model superstars. The models I’ve known are surprisingly well read. They’re very knowledgable about diet (sticking mostly to Haribos and champagne) and they seem to know how to have a good time. And, working for Burberry, Romeo won’t go short of raincoats.

LD Is that a rich experience as in lucrative? Not many children get rich from modelling. Parents used to be able to say that modelling fees enabled their children to pay their way through university but that was before fees rose to £9,000 a year. Still, there may be many well-educated models – you can be beautiful and smart and want to be a highly-skilled clothes horse all day. But we’re talking about kids modelling, and I’ve no idea how many slip happily into successful adult careers and get Oxbridge firsts. So, for kids, how enriching is modelling? There’s the excitement of getting to a casting 100 miles away by the next morning and telling the school you’ve got a dental appointment. The endless waiting around with your pushy, anxious mums, only to be rejected because they didn’t want your look, darling. No, no, it’s nothing personal. And if you get the job, even more waiting around to do the same thing over and over again. You can get to wear winter coats under hot lights in July. If you’re really, really lucky.

JS I don’t understand the public antipathy towards models – even the high-profile, highly strung madams like Naomi Campbell. Modelling is incredibly hard, thankless work and as valid as any other profession. Some of the world’s best photographers (Bailey, Helmut Newton, Bruce Weber) could not have produced their most beautiful photos without models.

Any work a child does at an early age is an experience, and at least modelling is exciting. Surely it’s better than your son or daughter wanting to be an accountant? Someone’s got to model children’s clothes. What’s the alternative? Plain coat-hangers? Adult models kneeling down? Rejection is hardly confined to modelling: any freelance journalist will tell you that. You say you’d prefer Romeo to become a footballer but every year thousands of talented British kids fail to make it to even the lowest level of professional football, after years of training and missing school.

I can see why the Beckhams are happy doing this… it might come in handy if they hit upon hard times.

LD It’s less about the models – it’s more about the unappealing nature of the business, especially for a child. Yes, perhaps you need child models to show off kiddie clothes; but before the sight of Romeo in a Burberry raincoat turns the heads of parents, you’re right to remind people that modelling is incredibly hard, thankless work. I’m rather fond of my accountant but, yes, I’d be surprised if my 11-year-old daughter said she wanted to be one. By that age every child has got the message that all that matters is self-promotion and celebrity. But if she became an accountant I’d worry less about her developing eating disorders and meeting predatory men.

Yes, rejection is part of life. But putting your child up for rejection based solely on their looks has little to recommend it. If your daughter doesn’t get into the netball team she can practise her goal shooting. I guess the modelling equivalent is adding highlights to her hair.

There’s more in it for the parents than the kids. If you really did need grown-ups to kneel to model children’s clothes, these parents would probably do it.