A Russian model and actress found fame at a young age in a controversial manner, with her mother facing criticism for ‘sexualising’ her daughter through social media images
Kristina Pimenova was dubbed the ‘most beautiful girl in the world’ when she was just nine years old.
The young girl’s blue eyes and long blonde hair had catapulted her to worldwide fame but the photos of the schoolgirl were branded ‘disturbing’ by some.
The Russian youngster had been a model since she was just three years old when she went viral thanks to pictures posted on social media by her mother Glikeriya Pimenova.
But Glikeriya faced criticism for ‘sexualising’ her youngster through the images but said her daughter’s “poses” were natural, even in photographs taken at a beach.
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She told Mail Online in 2004: “I am certain in my mind all her photographs are absolutely innocent. I have never asked her to take this or that pose, and in fact I must say she does not especially like it when I am photographing her, so I do it quickly and when she doesn’t notice.”
The negative comments didn’t stop Kristina from working with fashion juggernauts such as Vogue, Armani, Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana.
Today, the 19-year-old, who hails from Russian capital Moscow, is studying at drama school and has made appearances in films in her home country including The Russian Bride, Secret Neighbour and Creators: The Past.
The child star speaks positively about finding fame so young and is quoted in the Daily Mail as saying: “Modeling happened naturally for me when I was younger, I was just like: ‘Let’s try this’, I didn’t even know what it was.
“I was just playing around, it was like a game. For me, it was a big part of my childhood. It turned into making friends traveling, so it was just really natural.”
Kristina continues to model but acting is her main focus. Her Instagram biography reads: “Remember, beauty is inside”.
Years before Kristina shot to fame, Thylane Blondeau was crowned “the most beautiful little girl in the world” aged six when she modelled for Jean Paul Gaultier. She went onto work with Dolce and Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, L’Oreal, Chanel, and Versace.
Thylane’s feature in Vogue Enfant feature was criticised for ‘heavily sexualised styling and positioning’, which attracted global condemnation. But her mother Veronica Loubry stood by the provocative shoot, saying: “The only thing that shocks me about the photo is the necklace that she’s wearing, which is worth 3 million Euros.”
Thylane, from Aix-en-Provence, France, is now a 24-year-old model and actress who was seen walking down the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. The social media star has her own fashion label, Heaven May, and cosmetics brand, Enalyht.