Racial Diversity In Modeling

[leyla m.]

hmmmm, i am glad i dont not consider myself black or white.. im just me, a little human being who enjoys fashion and Vogue. if noone minds i will have a drink on that
anyone wanna join?

 

[Acid]

hmmmm, i am glad i dont not consider myself black or white.. im just me, a little human being who enjoys fashion and Vogue. if noone minds i will have a drink on that
anyone wanna join?

that is a good spirit Leyla

 

[seanutbutter]

So you're trying to justify the inexcusable behavior of public media outlets with a comment from an internet forum member?

When did I ever imply that?

 

[writergal28]

town and country readers are definitely more "well off"...
consider these demographics (taken directly from their media kits)
town and country's demographics:
- average reader is female, 35+
- 81% are married
- median household income is $125,000
- 16% have a median HHI of $250,000 or more
- 39% have assets of $1.5 million or more
- T&C readers are socially active, influential community leaders, belong to a city club, golf club, and are frequent travelers (7+ airline trips a year)

by comparison, vogue's average reader is 36+ and has a median household income of $65,000...

i think it says alot when a magazine like town & country, which has a much wealthier readership and is perceived to be wasp-y, has more minorites on the cover and featured inside than vogue...

Do you think Town & Country is more likely to have non-whites on its cover because the readers are just plain "more exposed"? I am assuming that their 7+ airline trips/year includes trips outside of the US. Vogue, which was at one point the bible of fashion, is slowly turning into the likes of Glamour or InStyle, which is chocked full of celebs and more tailored to middle America than those who are really into fashion.

 

[kimair]

I can see where you are coming from but I think we will just have to agree to disagree... I think there are many magazines that are aimed at african americans, but are about universal things just like fashion. I have absolutely no problem with this and think vogue should have the same freedom. here are some examples - black enterprise, honey (fashion and beauty), vibe (entertainment), rides (cars), king (mens lifestyle). As far as heart and soul, I think empowerment, health, money manegement is something lots of women of all races can use. These are all universal topics, but these magazines choose to market to african americans and have mostly blacks on the cover. Would it be ok for vogue to have mostly whites on the cover if they renamed their magazine 'white vogue' kind of like 'black enterprise'? I still fail to see the difference.

all of those magazines you mentioned (honey is not published anymore) are specifically geared towards black culture...
vibe is hip-hop/r&b/etc.
rides is car trends, "whips," "rims" and the like (and alot of their readership are white and asian males)
black enterprise is about helping blacks getting ahead in business by talking about black business leaders and different issues blacks have to deal with in business that whites do not...

honey was an attempt to do a fashion magazine for young black women, but it ultimately failed, because it was trying to be vogue, heart & soul and us weekly rolled into one...

there are other magazines out there in the same genres as the ones i mentioned, like blender, fortune, etc. that feature blacks and whites (and all minorities for that matter)...
yes, they are "universal" topics, but there are certain issues that are more relevant to blacks and other minorities than whites because whites have not had to deal with them...

what is the difference between showing a proenza schouler dress on liya kebede vs. caroline trentini?
in my mind, nothing...
models are essentially clothes hangers...
and there is no reason why, if you want a canvas to hang something on, you can't use minority models...
the hangers in my closet are all different colors...
it doesn't mean the lighter hangers do a better job of holding the clothes than the darker ones...
there is no "white fashion" vs. "black fashion," i wear proenza, balenciaga, narciso, phillip lim and patrick robinson for perry ellis...
all designers of different nationalities...

there is however a difference between something like obesity in blacks vs. obesity in whites...
yes, it's a universal topic, but there are certain variables for blacks that aren't there for blacks...
that's what i meant...thank you for seeing where i was coming from...
i do like this conversation...


writergal...i think that's absolutely correct...
it's obvious from t&c's demographics that their readership may have a higher level of education, work experience, and travel experience and they have been exposed more and are possibly more "cultured" to know that it's not about the surface...
and vogue has become more about celebrity and the like, things that will fly all over the country...
just look at the best dressed list...there is never any surprises...
the same actresses, the same models, the same features...

 

[fashionista-ta]

I have to agree. That is my frustration with magazines like Vogue. Their version of a black woman is Halle Berry, who by the way isn't full black! She's half white too! I'm not saying that's completely wrong, but it clearly shows Vogue's level of indifference. They have long ways to go.

So much one could say about this thread ...

No one looks at Halle and says, Oh, there's a white woman ... well, maybe not all white.

People look at Halle and see a black woman. Her skintone is shared by many people who don't have a white parent.

Racial purity, and I think this is a very good thing, is almost unknown in this country. My own view is that all the colors of the human rainbow are worthy of celebration--we're all beautiful, and most especially we're beautiful together.

GG, if Vogue called itself Vogue the Fair-Skinned Edition, then it might be appropriate for it to showcase all white all the time. That's not what it is ... it's US Vogue. The US is not an all-white country, far from it.

In actual fact I don't think Vogue is all white all the time ... the September issue, for example, has an in-depth article about Pat McGrath. Now there's a black woman who absolutely dominates her field. I think Vogue is actively endeavoring to be more diverse, and is seeing some success. I'd like to see the magazine use its palpable influence to promote diversity among models.

No one is saying it has to ... we are saying we think it should.

 

[leyla m.]

mojito anyone

i agree with everyones views. and as some said everyone is entitles to their opinion...
just a thought, do you know that this issue doesnt start at vogue? look at indivual designers lookbooks or showroom models. unfortunately not many are of black origin. sad but true. sometimes the designers themselves dont promote this idea and often (yes even anna wintour doesnt always think further than what has been proposed by the designer) they influence the outcome in a photoshoot.
only very few showrooms have 2 in house models of different racial origin (and also bone structure and height/weight)and that is mainly to show the retailers how a dress could look on 2 different people.
i still wouldnt blame Vogue US. As mentioned a couple of times, models are considered canvases, so the clothes DO matter more in the end.
i suggest another mojito and lets focus on the clothes more

*can we have a drink smile emoticon please*

 

[ChristionCouture]

I would say that the majority of Asians tend to go for the European look. The # of those living abroad are much less than those living in their native lands. I have a strong feeling, although I may be wrong, that Middle Easterners have a inclination towards European models also.

So bottom line is, there is a bigger market for European models.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070827/japan_shampoo_wars.html?.v=1

 

[Joseph26]

honey was an attempt to do a fashion magazine for young black women, but it ultimately failed, because it was trying to be vogue.

so if black people didn't show interest for that magazine why Vogue should do it if there's no reason to do it.

 

[ChristionCouture]

HONEY was NOT a fashion magazine! I actually enjoyed it though. LOL Beyonce did a stunning editorial. It was absolutely nothing like Vogue.

 

[mellowdrama]

This one is worse: http://www.snopes.com/photos/advertisements/intel.asp
Sorry for the threadjack. Won't do it again.

 

[ChristionCouture]

Hmmm. Interesting.

 

[Joseph26]

He's clearly not a Mexican.

how do you know it?

 

[electricladyland]

i've been away for awhile and look at all i've missed...including Joseph finding a way to agree with me shock: ), softgrey telling him he's wrong about everything clap: ), fouroclock telling him he's being a little b*tch rofl: mad karma but for some reason I can't give it), kimair dropping knowledge backed up with stats and eloquently stated, with random pics thrown in by mellowdrama--all bumping up against the brick wall that is the ignorance of Joseph, eternity goddess and Leyla...

God, I love tfs! What's left to be said...?

Carry on...

 

[Joseph26]

i've been away for awhile and look at all i've missed...including Joseph finding a way to agree with me shock: ), softgrey telling him he's wrong about everything clap: ), fouroclock telling him he's being a little b*tch rofl: mad karma but for some reason I can't give it)

and you know what? I feel so loved I don't take anything personal

kimair dropping knowledge backed up with stats and eloquently stated

neee, now you have lost credibility

all bumping up against the brick wall that is the ignorance of Joseph, eternity goddess and Leyla...

 

[leyla m.]

pls do NOT call me ignorant, thanks
we are in the rumours thread and simply discussing and voicing our opinions on who is or isnt on the cover of Vogue . my way is not the ignorant way. it is an attitude towards life and people i have in general. everyone is important to me no matter their origin. maybe i do not live in the US anymore to see where the core of the problem is that many here are defending. but whether the US or the Rest of the world.. i dont know where you live but not one part of me nor the environment i live in is ignorant to what is going on around me. to come back to the subject, i have a gut feeling that this issue wouldnt arise lets say with regards to the UK Vogue, or would it?
on a different note, i hate the fact i actually called any of the following religions, races, or way of lives: being black, gay, jewish, etc ; a "minority". so my apologies now when i think of it, most of the succesful people i encounter in my daily life happen to actually be one of the above "minority" and are in my life at least the "majority"!

there is just one thing i happen to see and have seen over the years here at tFS and dislike (but i guess that is what forums are about)
some members do like to get personal. why? you can very easily say what you need to say without personal attacks, that includes emoticons.
i often feel i am in the middle of a political debate ... that is why i offered a mojito and suggested everyone to see things on a lighter side...

so, pls excuse my ignorance everyone, but whoever wants to join me for a grey goose on the rocks NAOMI included you know where i am

 

[JeanAvril]

so, pls excuse my ignorance everyone, but whoever wants to join me for a grey goose on the rocks NAOMI included you know where i am

What if you're not overage yet?

I feel so left out.

 

[fashionista-ta]

leyla, I agree we shouldn't get personal ... I do think that this kind of debate is useful, and it doesn't make me uncomfortable. When I myself was young and stupid I expressed the views I'd heard from my parents ... positions I now see weren't very well thought out, especially by me. Now I think very differently, and part of that change has been listening to other people's viewpoints. I think if a discussion like this gets just one person thinking in a new way ... or opens a little ***** in a closed mind somewhere and a ray of light shines in ... it's worth it In the meantime, isn't it great that tFS has so many great people

 

[seanutbutter]

I'm gradually becoming more and more bewildered at the direction this thread seems to be headed.

 

[Joseph26]

NAOMI included

with or without cell phone?