In light of a new ad campaign that shows 10-year-old girls posing as famous supermodels, journalist Anna Pollitt explores why these pictures may sit uncomfortably with many of us.

PR stunts that piggyback off the hype around fashion weeks are often painfully tenuous (want to eat like celebrity designers? visit eatfirst.co.uk!) but a watch firm’s campaign featuring two pre-teen girls parodying supermodels is enjoying an element of success despite its potentially divisive nature.

Dressed-up, made-up and posed to emulate eyebrow queen Cara Delevingne and veteran cheekbones Kate Moss in Burberry’s famous rain-sprinkled mac adverts, the 10 and 12-year-olds are promoting a £119 activity tracker for children.

Harley Chapman, the 10-year-old described on her popular Instagram account as a “mini” Delevingne, is quoted in a press release from watchmaker Withings as saying, "If I can be half as successful in my career I'll be really happy.”

A few things about this campaign left us slightly baffled and questioning how disassociated from the kiddie winks of today we’ve become. When did 10-year-olds start needing fitness trackers? And having careers? And more saliently, did we miss when it stopped being creepy for them to be dolled up like grown-ups?

Adorable or inappropriate? Young girls parody supermodels in advert for watches