River Island criticised for selling 'sexy' leather trousers to five-year-old children

‘We shouldn’t encourage our children to dress like that,’ says parent

(Worcester News / SWNS)

River Island has been criticised for selling “sexy” faux leather leggings to children as young as five years old.

On the retailer’s website, customers can currently buy a pair of the leggings in question for £18 for anyone aged between five and 12.

However, parents have expressed concerns that selling such an item to young children could “sexualise” them.

Many have now also demanded that the retailer stop selling the leggings altogether.

Helen Richards, 60, had been browsing the shop for an outfit for her nine-year-old granddaughter on Tuesday when she noticed the trousers on display in the window on a child.

“Why are they sexualising children? Why do they feel the need to put leather trousers for parents to buy for their child?" she said.

"It’s so wrong, especially in this day and age. We shouldn’t encourage our children to dress like that.

"There’s more than one way to take away a child’s innocence. I am so angry.”

Ms Richards added that she thinks River Island should remove the leggings from its stores.

“That sort of thing makes me think speak out," she continued. 

“There are other options of clothes for children to wear. I was tempted to say something to the staff but it’s not their fault.”

Meanwhile, another parent commented on Facebook: "Who would want their children walking around like Kim Kardashian in leather pants? We should boycott the place until they are removed."

Another added: "This is highly inappropriate and another example of our kids innocence being stripped away. Shame on River Island." 

A spokesperson from River Island told The Independent: “We take in age-appropriateness, style and function into consideration in all our Kidswear designs, together with customer demand. “

The criticism comes after River Island announced it is to cut 350 management and senior sales roles as it attempts to slash costs in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown and a shift to online shopping

The high street fashion retailer laid out a major shake-up of its store management just a month after it announced 250 head office jobs would go. 

In a letter to staff, bosses called the pandemic “one of the most significant challenges that River Island has ever faced”. The lockdown hit River Island’s sales and profits, which have only begun to recover slowly since sites began to reopen in mid-June.