Racial Diversity In Modeling

[dsamg]

So basically your list isn't an accurate representation of diversity then.....?

It is an accurate representation of diversity in that it provides a view of the diversity that people actually see at NYFW. It includes the shows that make it into mainstream media - the shows that the general population actually see pictures of. I obviously couldn't have done a 60 show list including every 2 bit show at NYFW.

Most people are not seeing every image as we on TFS see. These are the shows that represent NYFW; the shows that people actually see. It shows how many MOC are booking the important shows. Diversity in the top tier. In what way is that not an accurate representation?

 

[nataliaapple]

Sorry, I didn't realize shows with 'white models of prominence' in 'important shows' were the parameters on which diversity was measured.

In that case, yes, your list would be accurate then.

 

[dsamg]

Sorry, I didn't realize shows with 'white models of prominence' in 'important shows' were the parameters on which diversity was measured.

In that case, yes, your list would be accurate then.

It is ok, statistics can be difficult for some people to understand. This is a sample representative of the population as the casting dynamics in big shows have been shown throughout fashion history to heavily influence the casting in smaller shows. If you choose a sample that accurately represents industry trends then you don't need to include the entire population.

I have been interested in model diversity through the years and as the results of the sample of important shows have consistently proved to represent trends in the entire population, the sample chosen is statistically sound. If you still don't agree, I can show you some results.

 

[nataliaapple]

Funny. Statistics is not hard to understand. I'm a fully aware of what a sample size is. One of my degrees is in Psychology but thank you for the unnecessary breakdown.

You failed to state the parameters of your 'study' in your initial posting of your 'results'.

Once you explained that it made perfect sense.

 

[sixtdaily]

Thanks dsamg for your work !! Really interesting.
And I agree it's funny to see that Marc's show was one with the most diverse casting, yet people attacked him using the argument he only casted white models.

@nataliaapple : for the record there are 250+ shows in NYFW only, so I think the point here was to have a first view of how diverse are the casts this season so far.
But feel free to complete the list and add the less talked about shows that were diverse !

 

[nataliaapple]

^Beating a dead horse much.......?

 

[anlabe32]

To me, only the big shows matter.

 

[dsamg]

Thanks dsamg for your work !! Really interesting.
And I agree it's funny to see that Marc's show was one with the most diverse casting, yet people attacked him using the argument he only casted white models.

@nataliaapple : for the record there are 250+ shows in NYFW only, so I think the point here was to have a first view of how diverse are the casts this season so far.
But feel free to complete the list and add the less talked about shows that were diverse !

Thank you sixtdaily and anable32

 

[dsamg]

http://www.vogue.com/13480855/future-of-the-fashion-show-piergiorgio-del-moro/

At the New York shows we saw greater ethnic identity, which is fantastic, and we saw, at Becca McCharen-Tran’s great Chromat show, challenges to the notion of a single body type. We also saw street casting play an important role. How is all this impacting how you cast a show?
I think it’s all about finding your identity. Margiela was doing street casting and Versace was doing the sexy girl [years ago]. I don’t have any plans at the moment for street casting, but I really do love it. When I started, I did an internship with Jennifer Venditti and I did street casting for all the Dolce & Gabbana campaigns. And in terms of diversity, yes, there are so many black models on the runways, but I think that’s because there are so many new black models, which is new.

Why’s that?
I don’t know—maybe the visa situation. A lot of girls couldn’t get a visa to get into the country before. Maybe agencies have been scouting in countries that they didn’t previously, like Jamaica. Who knows—maybe one day we’ll start to see girls from Cuba? Diversity has become a major conversation in our world and I think it has forced designers to consider how their own castings will be received to the new global customer. Our industry has become massively more global with customers spanning across the world and from all different backgrounds. To relate to an increasingly global customer base, I think brands realize their castings need to do a good job to reflect the broad range of customers today.

Well that is definitely an excuse we haven't heard before...the visa situation

 

[Sensation]

James Scully wrote on Instagram about the Gucci show:

While I find the new asthetic of Gucci joyful, to watch this show with models who bring nothing to the clothes they wear as they teeter on shoes they can't control coupled by the fact that in 75 looks there are 2 black girls and 2 Asians 1 with a veil over her face made the whole thing endlessly joyless.

Binx and Rachel Finninger commented agreeing with what he said basically.

 

[Marc10]

^While what he said is true, I find his long vendetta against Gucci/Barbara & Leila kinda childish. There are many other shows with this same lack of diversity, some even power, why the selective outrage? He should criticize the industry at large.

 

[anlabe32]

^ I agree but Gucci is one of the biggest brands in the world. Surely they're ought to set the right example. Also, isn't it true that Alessandro Michele thinks that black or asian models don't fit his aesthetic? Or was that someone else?

 

[Pricciao]

^It's Demna Gvasalia from Vetements. I do find the Gucci casting to be problematic. He always tends to have 5~6 token models of color in 70 looks as if it's a high school cheerleader's birthday party. not cool at all

 

[Sensation]

The NY Times has a new article on Barbara & Leila, here's the part about diversity on the runway:

When it comes to diversity on the runway (or the lack of it), however, the duo becomes a bit defensive and nervous; indicative, perhaps, of the sensitivity of the topic. “I feel as if it is more of a spotlight issue in the U.S. than Europe — and I think in Europe we are further behind on tackling the diversity topic,” Ms. Nicoli said. “But I would cast a beautiful model, whatever her color. Black, white, yellow, blue or red; a model is a model. But different brands have different specifications for what they want. That’s the reality we work in.”

Ms. Ananna agreed, noting she thought the situation was improving as scouts actively look for more variation in new models — like Ms. Martinez, who is black, and who walked her fourth show, Jil Sander, on Saturday afternoon.

nytimes/com

 

[Benn98]

Must laugh at Nicoli's comment: 'Black, white, yellow, blue or red; a model is a model'. I don't think you get yellow, blue or red people, and I actually feel herein lies most of the ignorance.

 

[ominao]

Many people in fashion circles seem to get annoyed when someone brings up this topic, but I'm genuinely disappointed about the lack of diversity among some of the greatest figures from my country, namely Mr Watanabe and Mrs Kawakubo.
And what's more disappointing is that very few of us Japanese find such a disgustingly slanted view on race problematic. They don't even notice what's wrong with it.
The number of caucasian models on adverts for beauty products and clothing here tells everything. It's just ridiculous considering the fact that roughly 98% of this country's population consists of Japanese. Companies know using white models sells because lots of Japanese women actually dream of looking like whites. Really sad.

 

[Uemarasan]

I'm not a Westerner, and lack of diversity as a problem actually doesn't bother me as much as people from Western societies. I do acknowledge that it's problematic, but I don't feel as strongly about it as the West seems to do. So, at the risk of putting forward an unpopular opinion, I actually don't mind the casting by Junya and Rei that much, simply because I can understand how non-Westerners wouldn't share the same social and cultural preoccupations as a Western designer. This is not to excuse this sort of attitude, of course.

 

[ominao]

Do you not think it's a huge problem when a designer, regardless of where he or she comes from, seems to value caucasians as the ideal, prioritising a certain race? When actually no race is superior or inferior to another?

Anyway, I find it truly disappointing that they're so massively biased, though I have a huge respect for what they've done in terms of clothing.
It's probably too late for journalists to accuse them of racism as these designers are so established that they feel scared of doing it.
Lou Stoppard of SHOWstudio will probably say something about it on today's Comme panel discussion, though.

 

[Uemarasan]

I'm also taking into context Rei's and Junya's philosophies and arguments when it comes to fashion. The thing is, I don't see the avant garde designers as proposing an idealized or aspirational view of fashion or beauty at all, which is very different from what Chanel, Dior, or Valentino strive for. In fact, I personally find the model quite irrelevant in their shows (unless the thesis explicitly involves the model, such as in Junya's Fall 2015 menswear collection). The models are only the means on which to hang these clothes, thus remaining nameless and unknown, and, again this is a largely personal perspective, as a customer of Rei and Junya I don't purchase their clothes or subscribe to their vision because I'm looking for something to idealize or aspire to. I even forget I'm looking at Caucasian models in their shows. I might come across as excusing something problematic and employing a double standard, but having predominantly Caucasian models seems to be more of a function of convenience (there are more Caucasian models available for hire), but then I'll admit I'm not that privy to the casting process. I'll also be quicker to point out the lack of racial diversity in a YSL or Lanvin show.

To be perfectly blunt, I have no problem that the media and culture in my country (I won't be specific but I'm somewhere in Asia) are not more sensitive to the issues of racial diversity, because race isn't a cultural or social problem here. Class is. And having spent a lot of time in Japan, I can understand that country's general apathy toward race as an issue. But that doesn't mean that I don't recognize it's an issue of worth in Europe or America. I just don't believe that all issues are universal.

 

[Benn98]

I might come across as excusing something problematic and employing a double standard, but having predominantly Caucasian models seems to be more of a function of convenience (there are more Caucasian models available for hire..

Wow, you're not actually serious with this reasoning?? They're showing in Paris, not Antartica! You're telling me there's no models of colour in Paris, more especially, during fashion week? And furthermore I find your excuses about them being more avant garde and therefore less 'aspirational' so insulting. It's the same slippery slope type of excuse which Miuccia Prada coughed up for years when confronted about the lack of diversity in her shows. Because 'it's all about the clothes'. Somehow, Westwood seems to get by just perfectly fine with diversity. It's not as if people would be so 'distracted' by a black girl walking around in a duvet inner!