Racial Diversity In Modeling

[nyc_art_style]

i am serious, so don't laugh, but i blame it on all Barbie dolls!!!

i blame it on kate moss!

 

[Street_a_Licious]

"I'm sick of blonde Russian girls,"

Amen!

 

[Aaliah326]

It hurts sometimes to pick up a fashion magazine or look at a runway show and not see a person of color may it be asian, black, latino ,etc. It is the year 2008 and it feels that everyday we are taking a step back to the time when diversity was not tolerated. From the comments I have read so far, I understand that there may be a certain trend of hiring Eastern European girls, as well as the companies having a need to market to a preffered clientele; it is after all a buisness. But at the same time it gives the impression that people of other races are not important and that we do not exist. I always thought fashion was supposed to represent everything and everyone that is beautiful?

 

[aquarian5]

exactly!, Im so tired of seeing white stick thin models....its waaaay overrated and getting to be really boring. And whats sad is that in the fashion industry it doesn't even stop at just the models its fashion designers too. Seems as if the only "known" african american designer were either rappers (sean john, russel simmons's "phat farm") or wives of rappers (kimora lee simons). And if not coming from these two then they barely slide by but are still under the radar (tracey reese, amsala, mal sirrah). Im mean...wtf! is going on!

 

[Harumi]

I always thought fashion was supposed to represent everything and everyone that is beautiful?

No. It is not the purpose nor the role of fashion to do that.

 

[crow_watcher]

It would be nice to see a Tracy Reese take a stand and make a statement by having only models of color in her next big show. That goes for all the other few black designers on the industry. There's really no excuse why that can't be done.

 

[aquarian5]

yea....sean john had only black models in his fashion show to make a statement. It was shown on tv the "i am king" thing he had. Also, heatherette had all ethnic models for their runway show. I think that would be a head turner if ethnic designers only had ethnic people in their runway show. I think that would make an even BIGGER statement to the fashion industry. But really....i want to see more big name designers do it first, like Marc jacobs, lanvin, versace, vuitton, etc....

 

[UneVieEnOr]

yea....sean john had only black models in his fashion show to make a statement. It was shown on tv the "i am king" thing he had. Also, heatherette had all ethnic models for their runway show. I think that would be a head turner if ethnic designers only had ethnic people in their runway show. I think that would make an even BIGGER statement to the fashion industry. But really....i want to see more big name designers do it first, like Marc jacobs, lanvin, versace, vuitton, etc....

Let me be an *** for a moment to state that EVERYONE has an ethnicity. It is not and never was an EXCLUSIVE term for non-european/european descent. This misuse perpetuates these so-called "differences" between peoples. The "us" versus "them" syndrome.

 

[Harumi]

yea....sean john had only black models in his fashion show to make a statement. It was shown on tv the "i am king" thing he had. Also, heatherette had all ethnic models for their runway show. I think that would be a head turner if ethnic designers only had ethnic people in their runway show. I think that would make an even BIGGER statement to the fashion industry. But really....i want to see more big name designers do it first, like Marc jacobs, lanvin, versace, vuitton, etc....

What would be the point of that? You're not going to be satisfied until all White models are out of business? Beside, Diddy only did an all Black show after he was criticised on a Black website for only hiring Latino models.

 

[Les_Sucettes]

I think they mean aspirational type, not dream type. Someone, women aspire to symbolise or represent because of their status whilst wearing designer items.

It's a proven psychological fact that aspirationalism drives advertising, and the majority of the time it is anglo-saxon or similar to an anglo-saxon look, this is why it is predominant. It's been the marketing of prosperity, success means money and this is usually associated with the predominating race that happens to represent the majority of the upper class.

It's an unfortunate fact.

.

Well i do not know, I think race is more irrelevant to the public than fashion houses think, much of our behavior is learned, a good campaign with a black model in my opinion to the buying public is more effective than a bad one with white models.

I think they mean this blue eyed models are a bit like blanks, a some sort of beautiful hangers, that don't "use" the clothes they are wearing, they don't make them their own, they are just "modeling" them, the buying public will wear them.

 

[writergal28]

I think another issue is that some magazines are worried about stereotyping non-whites. Jezebel had a post about Asian models (it's a spread featuring Du Juan, with Posh Spice on the cover) yesterday, and mentioned something about a shoot featuring an Asian model isn't "complete" without a kimono (the "kimono" looked more like a wrap dress - I do find the dress ugly, though). While a lot of people said that they couldn't see any sort of stereotype, I could see some extremists saying that they do. I don't know, if they had a white girl in the same dress, no one would say a thing. I guess that's what magazines are afraid of. It's d@mned if you do, d@mned if you don't.

 

[crow_watcher]

What would be the point of that? You're not going to be satisfied until all White models are out of business? Beside, Diddy only did an all Black show after he was criticised on a Black website for only hiring Latino models.

Not to be in someones...how would that be possible for all "White" models to be "out of business"? You're obviously missing the point. Let me just ask a clear question, Do you realize there's a lack of prominent black models in the industry? And thats just for starters...

 

[laisla]

"I'm sick of blonde Russian girls," he told AFP. "Clearly the trend now is all for blue-eyed blondes."

isn't that just as racist as someone saying "Im sick of black girls"?

It's always bothered me that there is a significant lack of black & asian models in the industry. In the past it could be argued that the "white wash" was because it was largely white westerners that were buying designer fashion but in recent years, south and east Asian countries, in particular, have emerged as increasingly powerful luxury markets. I believe the luxury market in India is worth something like $4 billion alone. Although there have been some notable black and asian models seen on the runway in the last 2 years, the industry is still far from being truly representative and in fact it still feels like tokenism to me.

 

[Harumi]

Not to be in someones...how would that be possible for all "White" models to be "out of business"? You're obviously missing the point. Let me just ask a clear question, Do you realize there's a lack of prominent black models in the industry? And thats just for starters...

And do you realise that shows are the main source of income for girls who can't have the big campaigns? Some people here seem to think if you're White you have it easy in the fashion industry, or that White girls go out of their way to steal job from Black girls. There is crazy competition and most girls fight to make a living. How a all Black Vuitton/Lanvin/etc. show, like the poster I was responding to want, is fair? How is it acceptable to put White girls out of business like that just to make a point? And how is that not discriminative? Beside, why make the issue only about Black models? They are not the only underrepresented ethnic group.

I though we were talking about the lack of diversity? Obviously some people are not interested in diversity.

isn't that just as racist as someone saying "Im sick of black girls"?

Didn't you know? White girls are borrring!

 

[MicheleIman]

i am serious, so don't laugh, but i blame it on all Barbie dolls!!!

Its sad but true, and when they had black barbies they were the same as thw white ones. Some even had purple eyes, or light brown eyes. It boils down to this: That is what sells and unless consumers are going to put their foot down it will continue, same with agencies. They sign the same thing and they bs saying its a "trend", they scout the same girls constantly. I think we should just admit that this is how it is. Its sad but true. The only black models that make it look like white models, ex: Liya Kebede. (I have nothing against her, I absolutely love her).

 

[MicheleIman]

No. It is not the purpose nor the role of fashion to do that.

I totally agree. The fashion house uses models and book models for shoots that they think will continue to make their clientele happy or to bring in a certain clientele.

 

[Bahiyya]

I think another issue is that some magazines are worried about stereotyping non-whites. Jezebel had a post about Asian models (it's a spread featuring Du Juan, with Posh Spice on the cover) yesterday, and mentioned something about a shoot featuring an Asian model isn't "complete" without a kimono (the "kimono" looked more like a wrap dress - I do find the dress ugly, though). While a lot of people said that they couldn't see any sort of stereotype, I could see some extremists saying that they do. I don't know, if they had a white girl in the same dress, no one would say a thing. I guess that's what magazines are afraid of. It's d@mned if you do, d@mned if you don't.

That's no excuse though -- any person running any kind of entity whether it's a designer line, a magazine or a forum know that you'll always get some kind of criticism. If the persons in charge are that sensitive then they should stick to some kind of work-at-home business.

That being said, I see your point, although I think it's a Jezebel thing. When the latest VI issue was out there was a bunch of people complaining that most of the models featured weren't black enough -- either their skin colour was too light or the hairy wasn't kinky enough to pass . I was so turned off by the convo I haven't been back since.

 

[DevonDevore]

is it me or does it seem a bit easier to be a black male model?

anyway,
i think having all (insert race) magazines or shows is just as bad as a "white out" show. if people need to resort to that then that just shows how backwards we are. no matter how much we moan about this is just one of those things that wont change for some time. the same with models weights...it is all just one big run on sentence until we as consumers decide to not be swayed by ads. BTW i think that ads dont sell clothes, clothes sell clothes regardless of who your photographer is, if your clothes looked bad on the runway, they will look bad in person....(ahemgalianomenswear09ahem).....im just saying...

 

[aquarian5]

Let me be an *** for a moment to state that EVERYONE has an ethnicity. It is not and never was an EXCLUSIVE term for non-european/european descent. This misuse perpetuates these so-called "differences" between peoples. The "us" versus "them" syndrome.

I understand what your saying but thats not the point of this forum. But since you must go there. Being that it is so widely mis-used, EVERYONE should know what i am talking about when i or anyone else says "ETHNIC" (anything BUT white looking)....not to be an a**.

 

[aquarian5]

What would be the point of that? You're not going to be satisfied until all White models are out of business? Beside, Diddy only did an all Black show after he was criticised on a Black website for only hiring Latino models.

I didn't say nothing about putting white models out of business. Secondly, what do you think is happening to black models! or all the other models of "color"! Im not saying for versace, lanvin,etc to keep doing it continuosly im just saying that if they did it ONE good time then it would be a head turner and would make a big statement also i didn't mean for them ALL to do it i was refering to big name designers such as Lanvin, versace, vuitton etc (sorry if you misunderstood). White models are OVERRATED to much of the same thing is BORING!!! and right about now, if you haven't noticed.....its looking a bit boring if you ask me and many other's who've noticed.