Zara blasted over 'creepy' and 'suggestive' kidswear advert

A moody Zara campaign has left Mumsnet users frustrated. Photo / Zara

Spanish fashion giant Zara has sparked controversy online over their latest kids campaign, which has been labelled "inappropriate", "suggestive" and "creepy".

The fashion brand took to Instagram to showcase the range featuring a young model dressed in a puff-sleeved dress, standing by the ocean and sitting on a bed.

However fans were quick to call out Zara with a flood of negative comments about the image, and one British mum took the matter to Mumsnet.

Mumsnet user ASauvignonADay, shared how uncomfortable the images made her feel and asked others if they agreed.

She wrote: "Personally, I don't like it. I think the poses and whole thing is inappropriate for a young girl."

The image on the bed was what most users found "disturbing". Photo / Instagram

A flood of replies showed many agreed and accused the brand of dressing and posing the child model like an adult.

"Creepy. Very strange choices. The third one is the worst, but even the first one has a strange pose for a child," wrote one, while another added:

"It's adult styling and designed to make her look not like a young child but like an object of attraction. It's bad enough they do that to women ALL the time but wrong to do it to a child."

Another weighed in: "Don't like it. Especially the last photo where she sort of has her dress pulled up between her legs."

Many of the comments were mainly focused on the image which showed the model sat on a bed staring down the camera, with Mumsnet users accusing the brand of "sexualising" a child.

One of the images in the campaign. Photo / Zara

One angry person vented: "It's too adult and serious, even without the pretty sexualised third photo. Kids are supposed to be playing, laughing, loving life! I hate these sorts of kids photoshoots.

Another added: "Ewwww. Definitely not a good way to advertise the dress. Children's shots should be fun and bright as children should be - not that weird moody posing and as others have said definitely to grown-up poses."

However, a few others didn't agree with the reaction fully:

"Looks depressing and bleak. Doesn't make me want to buy those clothes. I see nothing wrong with it though? Other than it being a bit of a c*** advert lol."

Another added: "I mean maybe if you were mid to late teens you might want to look moody and ethereal... but not this young? Who is this actually aimed at? Kids won't look at it at all and mums will just be a bit disturbed by it. I don't think it's sexually inappropriate, it's just really bad advertising that's missed it's target audience."