When she was 10, Thylane Blondeau achieved something we only dream out. The French model’s blue eyes, bleached blonde hair, and pouty lips had earned her the title of “the most beautiful girl in the world.” The child remained in the limelight, which included being the topic of plenty of controversy. But today, she’s 16 years old, and this is what she’s been doing.
Born on April 5, 2001, in Aix-en-Provence, France, Thylane Blondeau’s parents, Veronika Loubry and Patrick Blondeau are also celebrities as well. Her mom is an actress, television presenter, and owner of a fashion line. Her dad is a retired international soccer player who was part of the AS Monaco team. So it’s not surprising that Thylane would become a star herself.
When she was just 4, Thylane walked down the runway in a Jean Paul Gaultier show in 2005 and was able to experience the fashion industry for the first time. At 7, she met photographer Dani Brubaker and her first formal photo shoot. After that, she popped up in magazine spreads and ads all over. But one of them shifted the focus from the girl’s beauty to controversy.
Thylane was 10, in 2011, when she did a photo shoot for Vogue Paris, and she wore towering heels, a fancy hairdo, and loads of makeup. She was also wearing shiny outfits that revealed her legs and plunged her necklines. She was then asked to pose in a provocative way. People were outraged when the images came out.
People claimed that Thylane was being sexualized by the magazine. “This picture is the antithesis of what childhood in our society should be; a child being exposed to a world she is not yet equipped to deal with solely to serve the needs of the adults around her,” claimed Emma Grey, a psychologist. But the criticism was rejected by Thylane’s mom.
As a way of dismissing her haters, Veronika Loubry cracked a joke: “I understand that this could seem shocking. I admit I myself was shocked during the photo shoot. But let me be precise: the only thing that shocked me is that the necklace she wore was worth €3 million! My daughter is not nude, so let’s not exaggerate here!” But there were more controversial photos of Thylane out there.
There were images of Thylane circulating online around the time of the Vogue Paris spread, but in these, she wore jeans, a Native American headdress, and was topless. A wooden bead necklace and her long hair were the only thing covered her breasts. In another photo, the girl was topless in bed. No one knows where the photos came from or who took them, but it left critics asking themselves whether this industry was the right place for Thylane.
When it comes to young children, the fashion industry isn’t the right environment, according to child labor experts. But Thylane’s mother disagrees. “We have…turned down ten film projects, a Ralph Lauren campaign…I turn down at least three-quarters of the things we’re offered.” If anything, her modeling has only improved time after time.
Thylane managed to sign on with the IMG modeling agency when she was 13. That same year, she made her film debut in Belle & Sebastien: The Adventure Continues, and also appeared on the Jalouse magazine cover. Thylane also practiced classic and modern dance and plays the drums and piano. But her social media presence remains intense.
Thylane started vlogging on YouTube about her career and personal life when she was a teenager. Videos titled “Everyday Makeup Routine,” and “25 Facts About Me,” are what she’s known for, but has since been taken down. Now there’s a new channel and it has a short film titled “THYLANE”. She’s also become a hit on Instagram.
In 2014, Thylane created an Instagram account, which now has nearly 2 million faithful followers. She uses her account to influence fashionistas who are young like herself. Since she’s been modeling since she was 4, her unique style and excellent taste are invaluable. She certainly doesn’t seem to regret her folks putting her in the spotlight when she was little.
In 2015, she was interviewed and asked what being a model who’s so young felt like. “Well, Kate Moss started modeling at the age of 15, and that was a little while ago. So no. I’m not too young. If you have a good agency and people who take care of you…it’s perfect.” It looks like she’s spot on, because now, Thylane is the “It” girl from France and a huge influence to girls her age.
Prominent Designers have been lucky enough to have Thylane walked the runway for her. She made an appearance in Dolce & Gabbana’s millennial-themed spring/summer 2017 campaign with other celebs like Zendaya, Presley Gerber, and Lucky Blue Smith. She’s quite happy to simply attend Fashion Week when she’s not busy walking the catwalk.
Every major Fashion Week show has had Thylane sitting at the front. She never misses a Chanel runway show ever, and she was even seen at Michael Kors’ spring 2018 show and sitting next to Gabriel Day-Lewis in New York. But besides being a fashionista, Thylane can also add a major beauty brand to her resume.
Thylane Blondeau became L’Oreal Paris’ brand ambassador in 2016. Her partnership has allowed her to stand and walk on the Cannes Film Festival’s red carpet for the first time ever. And at 16, it looks like she’s on the right track, especially since she’s Juicy Couture, a fashion brand’s fresh new face.