Racial Diversity In Modeling

[CharlottefromCA]

Now that I think about it.. Mcqueen didn't use any non caucasian models in his FW 2005 show.. its suppose to be the 60's and whatnot.. but I mean.. there were black people in the 60's too! I can't help but still love Mcqueen's shows though.

 

[Tourni]

I don't see what the problem is. If PRADA is racist, then so is every designer. Some designers prefer pale, some prefer tanned, while others prefer black skin. Others prefer skinny, some prefer medium build, while others prefer muscular bodies. Designers use models that sell their product the best. They also use models that represent their demographic. PRADA does not put a label on their clothes that says "Not for black people". If you are black, I don't see why you should be offended. If you like PRADA buy it because you like it, not because they did not have a black model on their runway show.
In my opinion, PRADA is trying to make their models the perfect mannequins. Very pale skin which will have good contrast with the dark clothing.

 

[kinkexplosion]

hmmmm did HANA SOUKOPOVA ever got a booking for PRADA?????

 

[jssy4eva]

i don't think so...^ i think she has done Jill Sander and miu miu

Prada seems to be more coveted...alot of girls that do miu miu never do prada

 

[kinkexplosion]

i don't think so...^ i think she has done Jill Sander and miu miu

Prada seems to be more coveted...alot of girls that do miu miu never do prada

oooh another thing popped into my mind... MARIACARLA B never did prada... but walked for miu miu...

 

[KhaoticKharma]

Naomi did ADVERTISMENTS for Prada once, as well, according to the fashion model directory. I think that Liya very much embodies the quirky Prada asthetic, a kind of brainy classic sophisticate. But for some reason, as even Tyra Banks mentioned, black models are almost always refered to to as 'exotic', and 'glam', never the girl next door or the classic and refined young woman, which is very unfair.

I find Gerren Taylor to be one models to breaking this cycle, as seen in her Marc Jacobs ads. She seems much more quirky than glam, but still very pretty. I think if any model will be doing Prada/MiuMiu any time soon, it will be Gerren. She is NOT the next Naomi (I hate that moniker, but maybe Nakeisha is?), but really has her own look.

 

[aldn]

Not bothered. I don't think black models would add anything to her work.

Exactly. Just like a lack of white models wouldnt take anything away. Beauty is beauty and it cant be hidden. Where not saying other ethinicties* would add a punch of pop. Where just saying where is the diversity.

 

[Whitelinen]

Not bothered. I don't think black models would add anything to her work.

I agree. As much as I like black models ( especially Liya ), and would like to see more of them, I don't think it is anything but a coincidence, as Mr.Dale said.

 

[Callidora]

Given the severe lack of black models who have really gained success in the industry right now, I don't think Prada can really be singled out. It's an industry-wide problem, and a big problem imo. There hasn't been a model of color who has genuinely made inroads in fashion since Liya Kebede, and there's something wrong with that. Now, if there were plenty of black models out there, and Prada never ever used any, then it would be fairer to say there might be a race issue. But at the present moment, I'd say the entire fashion industry has a race problem, not just Prada.

 

[sepia]

Very interesting thread. I'm baffled by a lot of the posts.

 

[sprainha]

regards casting.. yes there is a casting director but final say does tend to go to the designer.

with regards to black models being used or not being used. The fashion industry is reknowned for being an incredibly racist industry, because it can be. It is based on aesthetics, and when you are dealing with predominantly european designers who have been ensconsed within environments whereby a certain look prevails, histopry and the like... that then becomes a part of the sub conscious.

raf simons was famously asked about this point and to it replied that it was not a specific choic .. it was just simply for him a matter of the types of guys that presented themselves in his daily castings. whether opr not people out there want to believe that this is a conspiracy or not is another story altogether.

hedi slimane uses skinny white guys... thats more simply about the types of guys he fetishises .... he is [projecting his own fantasies onto the catwalk and unfortunately that is predominantly white and ridiculously thin.

alexandra schulman was asked the same thing about covers of british vogue and responded by arguing that there are twelve covers in a year and black models are represented accordingly... i.e they are a 'minority' group (as much as i think that term is rather patronising and anthropoligical) and so one one cover is needed of them or something to this effect.

romeo gigli many years ago was accused of only ever using very wayward looking pale pale nymph like girls... and perhaps in response to this two seasons later, used an all black cast to prove a point.

As much as there is the argument of commerce, and all designers should be aware of the fact that the demographics of buyers are not limited to the white populous, we are talking about fetishistic behaviour... we all grow up and have certain tastes. we sometimes have a specific image in mind of what is our idealised vision of beauty and this does not necessarily mean that we define everything else as ugly. sometimes this is due to our upbringing, but more often than not it's just what 'floats our boat'.....

its a great shame that the representation of black, asian, indian, chubby, grey haired etc people isnt represented.... but i think at the end of the day....there is that age old argument of why skinny little white girls are being used to sell clothes that middle aged and not always a size zero typ women are buying (of all colour sexual preference and the like)...

its just creative types fetishising something that creates an image in their minds of a stereotyped vision of beauty and idealism.... and its a shame that this tends to involve predom9inantly white girls... i say it starts with the modelling agencies as well... if they were to have the courage to push a variety of different looks then this might be a start in the right direction

 

[Acid]

I think that people have to respect that the designer is allowed to use which ever model they wish to use. they do not have a responsibility to use models of any particular race, it it their show, their decision.

Dior Homme does not use black models and a black friend of mine always says that Hedi is racist and he hates him because of that and believes he should use black models too...

why do people believe that they MUST have to show models of different races? i completely agree that it would be lovely to have an international and multi-racial cast list but the designer decides what goes on THEIR runway.
you wouldnt tell a designer what clothes to show therefore why would you tell a designer what model to show...

 

[angelinaballerin]

I agree. If you don't like who a designer uses for their shows/ad campaignes then don't buy their stuff. Simple as that. Further as a black female (and I apologize if this is duplicative) I wonder could it be that fewer african american women are used on the runway because it is more uncommon for black female bodies to conform to the height and extreme thinness of the typical runway model? This is something that I've heard Tyra Banks complain about before on the lingerie side, and wouldn't be surprised if this were part of the issues. The average American woman is 5'4" and 164lbs. The stats are much worse for the average American black woman...Maybe minorities are uncommon in print ads and on the runways because the pickings are slim. I'm sure the same could be said about the film industry as we're highly underrepresented there as well.

 

[Blanche DuBois]

As much as there is the argument of commerce, and all designers should be aware of the fact that the demographics of buyers are not limited to the white populous, we are talking about fetishistic behaviour... we all grow up and have certain tastes. we sometimes have a specific image in mind of what is our idealised vision of beauty and this does not necessarily mean that we define everything else as ugly. sometimes this is due to our upbringing, but more often than not it's just what 'floats our boat'.....

That quote is by SPRAINHA
(don't know exactly hot to quote correctly)

Which I'm totally agree with!
What is the big deal!!?? I mean, I personally love Ai Tominaga, and also Jaunel, but maybe Hye or Liya are not my taste of woman, and it doesn't mean that I'm racist
I'm also don't like Iselin, and that doesn't mean I hate people from Norway.

Maybe you create a collection, and you have a certain casting in your mind.
And aslo maybe there are black and asian girls who showed at your casting, and you didn't like any of them, so maybe that's why they didn't chose any. Maybe because the designer dont find a beautiful asian girl (for his her taste)

Also, I have to say that I give credit to liya's success because she is black but she clearly has white features, don't you even notes that?
it's likes she is the more white of the black girls.
I prefer jaunel.

 

[dizzytacks]

That quote is by SPRAINHA
(don't know exactly hot to quote correctly)

Which I'm totally agree with!
What is the big deal!!?? I mean, I personally love Ai Tominaga, and also Jaunel, but maybe Hye or Liya are not my taste of woman, and it doesn't mean that I'm racist
I'm also don't like Iselin, and that doesn't mean I hate people from Norway.

Maybe you create a collection, and you have a certain casting in your mind.
And aslo maybe there are black and asian girls who showed at your casting, and you didn't like any of them, so maybe that's why they didn't chose any. Maybe because the designer dont find a beautiful asian girl (for his her taste)

Also, I have to say that I give credit to liya's success because she is black but she clearly has white features, don't you even notes that?
it's likes she is the more white of the black girls.
I prefer jaunel.

i think it's easy to sort people into a color block becuase the world is obsessed with labels, and going into something like facial features is a completely different discussion.Liya is ethiopian, an ethiopian will look different from a nigerian, the same with a norwegian and a parisian!

 

[_hannah]

anyways i think that it quite bad that black can't do Prada only due to they color of the skin...i think that a model has to be chosen for his capacity.

 

[Djavanjmiles]

I agree. If you don't like who a designer uses for their shows/ad campaignes then don't buy their stuff. Simple as that. Further as a black female (and I apologize if this is duplicative) I wonder could it be that fewer african american women are used on the runway because it is more uncommon for black female bodies to conform to the height and extreme thinness of the typical runway model? This is something that I've heard Tyra Banks complain about before on the lingerie side, and wouldn't be surprised if this were part of the issues. The average American woman is 5'4" and 164lbs. The stats are much worse for the average American black woman...Maybe minorities are uncommon in print ads and on the runways because the pickings are slim. I'm sure the same could be said about the film industry as we're highly underrepresented there as well.

I agree with your point. Many minorites aren't represented in most things and I find it kinda sad that the Film industry and the fashion industry conform to that kinda thinking. I can understand the reason why size would matter but not skin color. And Prada is a well liked brand to me but I don't think it would hurt to have a darker skinned person in a show or print ad.

 

[amphrosyne]

^ film industry? Are you kidding? Just because you're saturated in Hollywood doesnt mean its the film industry as a whole. Look at Bollywood its the same thing the majority (Indians) are more represented. Its a fact of life so accept it. Maybe you should look beyond whats in front of you (Prada, Hollywood).

 

[KhaoticKharma]

I think I pointed this out on another thread, but the reason that there is a shortage of black models on the whole is that black women tend to be on the heavier side, more healthy looking. Jessica White could have had a great career- but she chose to get implants, like countless other models who prefer to look curvy. With black men for Dior Homme, it's the same way. Black men tend to prefer looking muscular and healthy- great for Ralph Lauren, not so much for Heide Silmane.

I will only be outraged at Prada, or any other caucasian-centric designer, if it is found out that they are not seeing black models or telling agencies not to send them to their castings. I think that everyone should have the chance to prove themself, regardless.

 

[harris_jonathon]

How on earth did some of the people earlier on in this thread come to the conclusion that white skin automatically confers a feeling of wealth and status. Wealth and status are entirely subjective and depend on each individual person.

Also WHY DO PEOPLE GENERALISE SO???

Not all white people look rich or poor, not all black people look rich or poor, nor all of any ethnic group look rich or poor. Obviously, because this is impossible.

I have no experience of this area of retailing, but do retailers of sari's (i think that's what they're called, although I've heard them called salwar-kameez - please correct me if I'm wrong) use white models??? No. Is this racist??? No. Nicole Richie wore one a couple of weeks ago, so there is a varied market here. So what??? So nothing. It is entirely up to the designer/retailer what to do with the clothes they have, so get over it. If we have a problem with this situation, the only thing to do is make sure it is not replicated in our own work

And if you still think white = rich, and "status":

images from:
http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/models/Iman_Abudulmajid
http://www.celebvilla.com/aishwarya_rai/pages/image025.htm
http://www.chavscum.co.uk

like i said, every ethnic group has it's variations (i would like for it to be noted that i am not commenting on the relative value of any variation within any ethnic group)