Swedish Child-Bikinis Called "Remarkably Daft"

Swedish clothing maker Lindex said this week that it had decided to stop selling a controversial line of childrens' clothes that a Norwegian cabinet minister had criticized as "bikinis on small children." "It is remarkably daft to make bra-like bikinis for one-year-olds," said Laila Daavoey, the Norwegian Minister of Children and Family Affairs. "This is a terrible commercialization of childhood. Children are not women. . . . We must say 'No' to this."

A Lindex spokeswoman admitted that at least one design, intended for children aged one to two years, was "a bit too similar to an adult top" and that the company was withdrawing it, but denied that the decision had anything to do with the Norwegian complaint.

The Reuters story noted that this year "Norway is celebrating 100 years of independence from Sweden," apparently suggesting that Norway is just irritated at Sweden lately because it's been reminded of its prior domination by its larger and much, much more attractive and shapely neighbor. If so, it needs to keep working on ways to get back at Sweden. The story also noted that earlier in March, Norway's prime minister "criticized Swedish furniture maker IKEA for showing few women assembling flat-packed goods in cartoon instruction leaflets. IKEA agreed to depict more women [assembling flat-packed goods in cartoon instruction leaflets]."

Zing! Norway 2, Sweden 0 . . . I guess.

Reuters.com