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The Princess Phenomenon

Disney Princesses have caused parents of little girls everywhere to stand up and take notice. The sheer volume of Princess products insures that even the most oblivious parent will have heard of them.

And, as with any big money-maker, the Princess movement has many enemies. Bloggers cite racism, traditional gender roles, and unrealistic expectations as some of their reasons for hating Disney Princesses.

Interestingly, I recently heard a different spin on the Princess Phenomenon. In a thoughtful sermon on the dignity of being human, my pastor pointed out that the connection between a little girl and a fairy-tale princess is instant, instinctive, and strong. Perhaps, he said, little girls are metaphorically glimpsing their true identity and destiny.

As a child of God, he said, every little girl is made to be a princess. And somewhere deep down, she knows it.

If this is the case, then I have my own beef with Disney. It seems to me they may be thoughtlessly exploiting is something that is tender and deeply human in the little girls they cater to. Is it OK to make money by producing princess products? I would say yes, but it has to be done with... well, love.

I myself am a designer of little girls' products. In all my designing, I need to think not just about our profit margins, but about the girls themselves. The litmus test has to be: Are our products supporting their dignity as true human Princesses? Or, to make it personal, is this a product that I want to give my own daughters, to help them learn who they truly are?

Also posted at Pixyworld Blog

Tags: boutique, clothing, design, girls, little, products, social, trends

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Comment by Melody Wilson on June 12, 2009 at 8:34am: Thanks!! I agree with you -- our daughters need positive role models. Also, it's hard not to melt when your little girl looks so happy! :)

Disney does seem to have its own propaganda agenda, which of course as parents we need to filter through. But like the old-days fairy tales, these are stories, and we can't expect them to be as subtle and complex as real life.

Thanks for reading!!

-Melody
Pixyworld Clothing | Designer’s Blog | Pixyworld Links | Pixyworld Wholesale

Comment by FahionMom on June 12, 2009 at 6:40am: I never really thought so philosopically about the impact of Disney's princesses and their marketing but you make some excellent points. As a mother of a 6 year old "princess" who has visited Disney twice so far and is planning another visit soon, to me, everything Disney does really is magical. The look of joy and excitement on my daughter's face as she experienced the princesses - who trulry do act like a princess would - was absolutley amazing...they made my daughter feel like a beautiful princess and want to be just like them. Yes it was powerful but as far as I'm concerned only positive. Disney Princesses portray perfect ladies and although they are "unrealistic," shouldn't we want our little girls to aspire to be as perfect as they can be? I would chose a Disney princess for my daughter over a Barbie or Bratz anyday.