The Prada is Evil
February 20, 2008
I was a little surprised to see British newbie Jourdan Dunn on the runway for Prada because I have never seen a black model in the Prada show before at all. According to Fashionologie, the last time Miuccia cast a black model in her show was waaaaaaaaay back in Fall 1997 (that’s exactly 11 years ago) and she is Naomi Campbell. The last time a black model appeared in the Prada ad? 1994, and that is also Naomi.
Why, Miuccia, why?
Jourdan Dunn
Rock The Trend 
may be Prada is not being racist..coz there are not enuff great black model after naomi..yes there is chanel iman..but she is not strong enuff to stand out like naomi..n im not being racist here tho.
n i think it is not about the colors..
i’ve never thought about it before really, but it does seem that there aren’t nearly enough black models. 11 years is an awfully long time. i hope it wasn’t intentional.
Its just like Miuccia to go against the grain.I don’t think its intentional but it is odd tho.Maybe black models have been too strong for M’s tastes so far.Her models always do seem bland and grim lately.Still,one can’t help posing questions.Could it be a strategy of some sort?
You have to be a crack head to relaize that it is not about color. “She’s not strong enough to represent parada”. have u seen some of the models that represented prada in the past.They look horrible and weak! lets be real, fashion is racist, and we see it every time the designers new lines come out. fashion is international, and until black people stop supporting those racist labels, we will never get the equality in fashion.
And of course, white people always think it was done by accident . how do you skip a whole race of people in 11 years. I guess people of color don’t exist!White people don’t notice the problem because when they turn the pages of the fashion magazines they see themselves. wake up people!
there’s not any excuse to not use black models as there are tons of pretty girls out there like Chanel Iman, as for her not being ‘strong’ enough to stand out, i think she stands out much more than someone like Masha Tyelna who is just weird looking in my opinion.
Muccia likes the heroin chic — the blank stare into emptiness — in her girls. Notice how every season for the last 10 years, she employs the same look in her campaign?
That said, I’m surprised nobody mentioned Liya Kibede. She is simply stunning.
i was even more surprised at the fact that sasha didn’t do the show.
If you don’t understand there’s abject discrimination in the fashion industry, you’re an idiot! The only color choice made was based on the color of the model’s skin. Even if Miuccia wants to use the heroin chic look, last time I checked, drug addiction didn’t just target blonde haired-white people. She is not even going against the grain by not employing black models. Unfortunately, she is very much within the grain of the fashion industry. Racism isn’t just on the runways. It’s in the magazine ads and tv commercials as well. Look around. Almost everyone you will see will be white. Additionally, flip over your make-up bottle. If you’re white, does the label say “nude” or “flesh-tone”? Maybe you should ask yourself why and look at the make-up colors a black woman has to buy. This “phenomenon” is not an accident. Both blacks and whites have to support one another in the continuing struggle against racism which persists in this country.
firstview.com has a pretty large Prada archive, you can check Naomi there (for free I think).
Naomi said in was it WWD that the other supermodels wouldn`t do the show if she was excluded, so Prada used her too.
well said, sarah, i totally agree.
sarah what you said is so right, and the first who mentioned trust white people not to notice how just about every model on the catwalk on in magasines is white or asian and when they bring in a black person its mixed race like jourdan, so slightly brown whith caucasian features i.e. straight nose, strong cheekbones etc i am actually suprised they let her and her full lips through
its like the dumb urban music stars support and promote miuccia racist (maybe unintentional, but how do you overlook a whole race for 11yrs) tendencies
black models exist only in urban fashion labels otherwise white is the only other colour we are going to see for a very, very long time
Definitely Vom Squad material!!
http://vomsquad.blogspot.com
Go Doutzen !!!
sad, sad, sad…don’t believe I haven’t realized this before…well, true, Miuccia can do whatever she wants, it’s her line and everything, but that there aren’t enough black models, that’s true. I like Liya, but I find Yasmine Warsame absolutely beyond compare and YES, I WANT MORE BLACK GIRLS, they’re gorgeous
You go Sabi! We love you!!!! Bang on point x
There are plenty of black “aspiring” models. The problem is that agencies don’t sign many blacks because the designers are not looking for black models. Fashion is supposed to be about art and expression but in actuality it’s about MONEY! The luxury designers want to make money off of their brands and they market to the masses. In advertising (runway shows included) models are supposed to be a representation of the line and the people who might buy it. People will buy a product when they can see a part of themselves in the model, and if they can relate to them. It’s not always who they actually are but it could be a representation of who they want to be or what they see themselves as. In a study around the world when people were asked what race they would not like to be “black” was the most common answer. Black people are not associated with luxury, success, or beauty. It’s an atrocity! I think that fashion should get back to real expression and art and truly be “cutting edge”. They hold the power to possibly shape the view of the many different ethnicities. You’ll notice more and more Asian models because Asia is a growing consumer or luxury goods. It’s all because of racism and everyone is afraid to really be different! Designers are just pretending to be “Avant-garde.” They aren’t pushing any boundaries. In actuality they are helping to further perpetuate them. MY TWO CENTS…
i find the ignorance of the history of black models…rampant on this page. chanel iman, liya kebede, and naomi campbell aren’t the only black models and aspiring black models out there right now. hmm lets see…VICTORIA SECRET ANGEL SELITA EBANKS, FACE OF CHRISTIAN DIOR SUPERMODEL ALEX WEK, FRENCH SUPERMODEL NOEMIE LENOIR, CONSTANT HIGH FASHION RUNWAY STAR AJUMA, VICTORIA SECRET MODEL OLUCHI ONWEAGBA, OSCAR de la RENTA STUNNER JESSICA WHITE….black girls are in fashion…these models especially the dark skin african women like oluchi alex and ajuma are at the fore front of high fashion and haven’t been shunned from the front line lights. victoria secret has taken on its fair share of black models…in fact almost all of those girls have walked down it’s runway. Prada can suck it. its irresponisble to support a brand that proposes beauty is drugged out and heroined up. I’d love to seem MORE minorities in general…God knows there aren’t enough Asians…the Brazilians can take a rest! (:-)
I don’t think designers are RACIST…well maybe Prada. Girls come and go. Styles, races, hair…it all has its time. the 1960s saw Yves Saint Laurent (R.I.P.) putting black girls on runways for the first time and it became popular. The 90s saw Blacks on the cover of many of the world’s Vogue magazines and designers doing shows with all black models! Its a fad! The Brazilians have taken over fashion…in 6 years they will be old news. Its the circle of life people. To say all this people don’t want to buy from a designer that advertises with black models…come on…who wants to buy from anorexic heroined models. we did it in the 90s.
Very pretty model.