Lack of Black
Supermodel Naomi Campbell is making headlines again, but this time, it’s for a good cause. According to sfgate.com, Naomi has criticized Vogue for not featuring enough black models on the magazine’s covers.
She says: “Black models are being sidelined by the major modeling agencies. It is a pity that people don’t appreciate black beauty.
“Even myself, I get a raw deal from my own country in England.
“For example, I hardly come on the front pages of the London Vogue magazine. Only white models, some of whom are not as prominent as I am, are put on splash pages. I don’t want to quit modeling until I find that black models get equal prominence and recognition by the world media and information instruments.”
I totally agree with her. Not only the blacks, asian models are also not getting enough coverage in fashion. White girls have got basically everybody’s idea of perfection and people can’t seen to accept another kind of beauty other than them. I wish to see the standards of beauty in fashion redefined, like what ELLE magazine did for their November 1997 issue—–putting a dark-skinned African model Alek Wek on the cover. That was probably one of the fashion moment that will go down in history.
That’s how Alek Wek’s career got kicked off and right now, she still catwalks for shows like Christian Dior Haute Couture,
Though quite rare, Vogue does try to include black models on their occasional ‘next top models’ covers.
Liya Kebede in Vogue’s nine supermodels cover in 2005. She’s famous for being the first black model for Estee Lauder and her efforts for charity groups. Liya’s got a few FW07 runways under her belt, most notably opening the Roberto Cavalli show, but I think she has cut down her workload after giving birth to her child.
Chanel Iman is definitely one of the most coveted black models around right now. At 16, the African-Korean’s still young but has already achieved an impressive runway record. What she needs now is a major magazine cover, editorials and more ad campaigns.
On the other hand, here are three up-and-coming black models that you should watch out for…
(from left) Ajuma Nasanyana for Viktor&Rolf SS07, Kinee Diouf for Roberto Cavalli, Jourdan Dunn for Marc Jacobs
Victoria’s Secret used three black models (Ajuma Nasanyana, Oluchi Onweagba and Selita EBanks) for their 2006 show. And of course, not forgetting Tyra & Naomi who modelled for their 2005 show.
The latest Moschino ad featured seven black models. Super cool. I can’t recognize any of them except Kinee Diouf (far left) but I really like this ad.
photo sources: style.com, theblemish.com, iamfashion.blogspot (for the vogue covers) and supermodel.nl
thanks
Rock The Trend 
I live in a predominantly white country, very, and I can see why black models don`t get much coverage.
There are so many familiar types/ideals of white women just there to be exploited: movies, novels, history… Different types of whites have more resonance on the collective unconciousness than women of other ethnicities.
I love some of the new Asian models doing shows, and there seem to be plenty at the moment, they give lots of variety and just plain NEW. But black models at the moment don`t have much appeal.
It just looks like there is the hard black model and the soft one. End of story. I loved Alek Wek at her prime, but stuff just seems to get old. Liya just bored me from the start.
I have an open mind. Don`t know about the casting directors.
What a really interesting post. I really enjoyed it thanks
That Elle cover is so beautiful.
The Alek Wek cover on Elle is AMAZING!!
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
I love Oluchi & Liya too. Naomi, not my favorite person on earth. She’s a psychopath! Sadly enough, it took her to make that comment.
notice the Vogue covers with the black models above- the black models are on the folded half of the cover that does not get seen as much
Anna Wintour: you were born in Europe- dont let the outdated racial undertones here in America stop you from posting models of color!!!
I totally forgot Yasmin Warsame! What happened to her career? (It says on Wikipedia that she is now judging on the Canadian Next Top Model…) She was my latest fave black model, I loved her as much as Alek! She looks like royalty in the way of Erin O`Connor.
So there obviously are great black models out there, how come the ones on the runways don`t look like much? Naomi is the most boring model I know, she shouldn`t get any coverage in any Vogue. Period.
Actually, black models get more work here in the US than in Europe.
what were you saying in your first post Sad Twat?
Check out http://www.falldeuces.blogspot.com
For the real story..
The sad truth is that the majority of the world does not consider black women beautiful unless they have fair skin, a fine pointy nose and long back length hair.
Especially the fashion world. ;(
fist vogue cover is amazing,love it!
I THINK SOMALI HAVE POIUNTY NOSE, HOW CAME THEY ARE NOT IN THE FRONST PAGES OF THIS MAGAZINES THEY ARE BEALUTIFUL BLACK , FAIR AND LONG HAIR AND POINTY NOSE?
As a white guy who loves black females, I am acute to where black females are included or excluded.
Black females have unique faces and bodies and this allows for many options in modeling.
Where black females are definitely excluded is in the UFC. The models that announce the rounds are rarely, if never, used to announce rounds.