Italian Vogue creates a black beauty issue
| Posted Apr 28th 2008 4:02PM by Tiffany Neal
Filed under: On the catwalk
As we've repeatedly documented on this site, their is a clear lack of diversity in the fashion industry. All of the runways, editorials, advertisements, and fashion covers have been completely white-washed for the past eight years now.It's gotten so bad that former model agency owner Bethann Hardison -- who use to rep supermodels Tyson Beckford and Naomi Campbell -- had to convene two summits to discuss the refusal of some of fashion's most powerful to embrace black beauty. CFDA president Diane Von Furstenberg even sent out a letter prior to fashion week urging designers to incorporate models of all ethnicities onto their catwalks.
However, after the fall '08 fashion season concluded, the runways were as bland as ever.
But just when we thought all was lost, it seems as though somebody has finally gain some semblance of a conscience.
Last week, rumors began to fly on fashion sites alike that Italian Vogue was cooking up an epic issue that would feature only black models and that famed photographer Steven Meisel would be lensing all of its contents.
And yesterday, Franca Sozzani, the editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue confirmed the extraordinary news: "We are using a lot of black models, like Iman, not only the models of today – a lot of different girls." As for why she is doing this, Sozzani continues: "Because nobody is using black girls. I see so many beautiful girls and they were complaining that they are not used enough."
In addition, all of the other Vogues will be incorporating not only black models, but other under represented minority groups in their magazines much more than usual over the next few months. We'll reserve our applause until we start seeing some of this "diversity" in our favorite US publications, but it's nice to know people are finally starting to open their eyes.
[via The Independent]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-28-2008 @ 7:35PM
Danielle said...
It would also be a great thing if they featured black only skin care product lines or beauty products in their issue. But this is a good step Tyra recently talked about having more black models on her show and how they are going unnoticed in the industry.
fashion and beauty tips
http://www.imageandstylenews.com
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6-01-2008 @ 7:42AM
embel said...
This is not a black and white world. Get over yourselves.Lets not forget the red, the yellow, and the rainbow mixes.
Reply
6-19-2008 @ 3:08PM
Diana Diixon said...
The lack of diversity in the fashion industry requires that women of all colors, black, brown, and yellow, are included in the fashion.
Beauty is beauty, irrespective of the skin color.
Reply
6-27-2008 @ 9:42AM
florence said...
i am soo proud of vogue to take such a big jump. i hope it can bring bigger and better things for the future of models of ethnic origin.
Reply
6-29-2008 @ 5:55AM
Errol Sawyer said...
As an African-American photographer who has worked for American Vogue, French Elle, et al. WHY are there NOT MORE photographers of color, ie., African-American, African, Indian, et al. under contract at Conde Nast Publications, Hearst, et al. rather than the usual procession of familiar names such as Steven Meisel, Demarchelier, Nick Knight (who would probably agree), Peter Lindbergh(Sp?) and countless others derived from the SAME Caucasian pool of soul-less non-talents?
Letters of protest should be directed at transnational conglomerates like L'Oreal, Proctor&Gamble et al. to exert PRESSURE upon the abovementioned publications who DEPEND on their ADVERTISING revenue.
Revenue and profits DERIVED from MINORITY communities in the USA and Africa, Asia, etcetera!
Errol Sawyer (portrait, beauty)
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7-02-2008 @ 3:24PM
Errol Sawyer said...
Bethann Hardison's Black Model Coalition is little more than a disappointing joke.
Question: what have they accomplished after more than a decade and a half since their inception?
No, the problem of racism in the fashion and beauty industries will NEVER be resolved to the benefit of minority communities unless it is seen and addressed as part of the broader problem of systemic racial discrimination globally.
Power.
Domination.
Control.
The Black Model Coalition can discuss the problem from here in to eternity and trust they will not have advanced one fraction of one percent without petitioning the Black community to BOYCOTT ALL corporations which discriminate against ALL minority contractors and subcontractors, period.
Anything else is simply mind rot.
efsawyer
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