Catwalks used to be about women like Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss: discovered as ordinary suburban teenagers, then propelled to superstardom by virtue of their preternatural good looks. Moss’s mum was a barmaid and her dad was an airline employee; Crawford’s mother a bank clerk, and father an electrician. That was the 80s and 90s, though, and things have changed. In 2023, catwalks are instead packed with celebrities’ children.
Just one flick through Vogue or a glance at a London Fashion Week show and within seconds you’ll spot the spawn of the rich and famous. Kaia Gerber, Crawford’s daughter with Rande Gerber, started doing Vogue covers with her mum, and now does them solo. Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, walks for Chanel. Lila-Grace Moss, sprog of Kate Moss and Jefferson Hack, does Miu Miu. Then there’s Leni and her mother Heidi Klum posing together in their underwear for Intimissimi; the list goes on (and on).
The latest celebrity offspring to trot down the runway are Lennon Gallagher – mum, Patsy Kensit, dad, Liam Gallagher – and Iris Law – mother, Sadie Frost, father, Jude Law – who walked for Burberry during London Fashion Week. They strutted their stuff just as nepo-baby scrutiny has been intensifying, and there has been criticism of poor Lennon and Iris not deserving their place in the fashion spotlight.
“Stop putting nepo-babies on the catwalk!” one fashion fan pleaded. “Models used to be interesting, and discovered in random places, but now it’s all nepo-babies and so boring,” said another. “Some of these nepo-babies aren’t even proper models!” cried another. But does that matter? It’s not like modelling is a meritocracy in the first place; nepo-babies and models have both won the birth lottery; born to rich and famous parents, or unnervingly good-looking. If people who by sheer luck got extremely hot DNA can pose for luxury brands, then nepo-babies are just as worthy.
It also works on a business level too. If catwalks are a tool for publicity and marketing for fashion brands, then nepo-babies fulfil the job description perfectly. What are the assets that they’re able to bring to the workplace? Their rich and famous parents! Nepo-babies get the public talking about the fashion event, for better or worse, and they help fill the front row with all their celebrity relatives and friends. It’s also a skill that nepo-babies can learn fast. It’s not like walking down a catwalk takes years to perfect.
So, let nepo-babies own the catwalk; let them pose for luxury perfume adverts; let them open London Fashion Week. In fact, I’d like to see more nepo-babies walking for Burberry and Chanel. After all, the terrifying alternative is that if they don’t occupy themselves walking up and down in fancy clothes, they might instead end up in the boardroom. Do we want nepo-babies networking their way into the role of the Lord Chief Justice, or boss of UK biosecurity? Do we want them overseeing the Counter-Terrorism Unit or being the head of the Bank of England?
