Earlier this week the mother of an Irish school girl was heavily criticised for allowing her daughter to pursue her modelling career.

Darcy-Brittain-Dissont, from Co. Down is 13-years old and found herself in the middle of huge controversy when it emerged that she would be walking in the Belfast Fashion Week. She had been signed to the CMPR modelling agency.

Her mother, Brenda McCleary spoke to Evoke.ie about how she had apparently angered many parents by allowing her daughter to model and how she was in full support of Darcy’s decision.

“I fully approve of Darcy’s desire to model for CMPR and would support her 100%.”

She also went on to say that modelling is something Darcy wants to do in her spare time and they will encourage the teenager who she described as “academically strong.”

The owner of the CMPR agency Cathy Martin has said that the story was blown out of proportion and noted that Darcy would not be placed in situations deemed unsuitable for a teenage girl.

Darcy’s modelling career sparked some controversy when it was compared to the choice of fashion house Dior to use a model who was only 14 to be the face of their label but Cathy feels it is not the same situation. “It is not like the Dior model who was in a sheer dress and walking with adult models," she said.

Sofia Mechetner’s appearance on the runway for the label was contested when she was dressed in a sheer gown which many found too revealing for a young girl.

Darcy’s mom and Cathy Martin have insisted that “No one is exploited. No one is sexualised.”

Speaking with the Belfast Telegraph Darcy admitted she thinks a lot of the controversy surrounding her appearance at Belfast Fashion Week concerns her age. She notes in an interview that Kate Moss started modelling young too so it is not uncommon in the industry.