Designers and clothing makers are said to be sending little Suri Cruise, who turns three in April, plenty of free stuff in the hope that she’ll wear it out and increase sales. Tom has said that his daughter picks out her own clothing and refuses to wear anything but dresses. (That might also explain why she’s sometimes seen out with a coat in the cold New York winter.) Suri is a sharp little dresser and many designers are clamoring to have Suri model their clothes.

What’s more is that Suri receives a lot of fan mail praising her fashion sense. This comes from Star Magazine, but it sounds probable:

Suri Cruise is only 2 years old, but she’s already a fan magnet. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter scores 100 adoring letters a day! “She’s even more popular than her superfamous parents,” a source tells Star. “She has such a huge following I’m surprised there isn’t a web site dedicated to her yet.” Most of the letters want to know where she gets her dresses or sparkly Mary Jane shoes. But letters aren’t the only thing Suri is getting in the mail. She’s “a major swag target,” adds the source. “If Suri wears it out in public, it becomes a big seller, so designers are smart to floor her with their wares. She’s the world’s No. 1 fashion plate under 3!”

[From Star Magazine, print edition, January 5, 2008]

Suri is just a toddler and while she’s adorable and it’s cute that she goes out dressed like a doll it’s also obviously disturbing to her that she has to be faced with flash bulbs and hear her name screamed whenever she steps out with her parents in New York. Tom and Katie should be doing more to shield Suri from the paparazzi and the press instead of showing her off. Maybe they’re just doing the best that they can in a difficult situation, though. It’s not like they can do much to avoid it when everyone knows where they’re staying and waits for them. If they started covering Suri up like Michael Jackson does for his kids people would be complaining about that too.