Racism in Modeling
I have to say that I think Naomi Campbell is incredible. She has been through a lot and is the ultimate survivor. And she is in the headlines. Again. This time it's for allegedly assaulting "two police officers during a dispute about lost luggage aboard a British airways plane." The worst part of the story I think is that Naomi has said that she was called a racist name by someone aboard the flight that WASN'T a passenger.
This got me thinking about the race in modeling issue which seems to be on everyone's mind in fashion. After reading the article in July American Vogue 'Is Fashion Racist?', I was shocked to learn that there was a 10 year gap in the Prada Show using a black model (For Fall 2008 Jourdan Dunn broke that cycle. It was Naomi who had walked a DECADE earlier) The July Issue of Italian Vogue saw Meisel/Sozzani put four gorgeous Black models on a four panelled cover. And here at Fashion File we just produced a segment on model Chanel Iman. I was struck by her beauty and spirit.
Maybe the 'black models' story is in the headlines, news and print now- but my fear is that it is the 'issue of the moment' and that there won't be follow through from the industry. The runways are still surprisingly white and the lack of diversity is disappointing because there are such stunning, diverse girls RIGHT NOW. Girls like Jourdan Dunn, Arlenis Sosa, Chanel Iman, Hye Park, Du Juan and Eugenia M. to name a few. Diane Von Furstenberg of the CFDA has encouraged designers to be mindful of ethnicity in their collections. My guess is that all eyes will be on New York Fashion Week for Spring 09 to see just how mindful of this issue they will be.
Naomi Campbell in Yves Saint Laurent Campaign Fall 2008
Photograph by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
Italian Vogue Cover July 2008
Photographs by Steven Meisel
Posted by JESSE
