Where are the Black American Models?

[charmedp321]

It is very obvious by now that the MAIN focus for black representation in the modeling industry has been the dark skin African beauty. Since the rise of Adut A. & Anok Y., every brand, agency, and photographer seem to only want to push this look. The Afro-Latin trend is still hanging on as well which was popularized by Lineisy M.

My question is where is Black American representation in modeling right now? Binx W. is a biracial woman and I’m unsure on Selena F.’s background, but they have been around for over a decade now. Even on the male side Alton Mason has been the dominant black American model for a long time. The last American black model that I can recall making waves is Precious Lee, but I feel like her success was more so lightening in a bottle considering the climate a few years ago. I was hoping J’adore Benjamin would shake the table, but she didn’t make the noise like I thought she would. Her hair is a bit limiting though…same with Indira Scott.

From my understanding, a lot of this has to do with hair maintenance. African models tend to have short hair, which makes It easy for inexperienced hairstylist to work with their texture. That’s a whole different layer to this.

Another negative is that the typical turnover rate for this archetype of model is higher. Look at all of the amazing beauties who in the past would’ve have sizable careers, but because they popped at the height of this trend they are more so conveyor belt models. Akon C. Janet J. Nyagua R., and Mary A. all popped big a few years ago, but they all were replaced by their counterparts very quickly.

I’m honestly a bit tired of the sameness between black models these days. It’s crazy I’m saying that because I remember the days where there would be NO black models working in general. I’m happy for the progression of more models of different races working, but I feel like some variation needed. Even platforming the excessive amount of African beauties still feels like a trend pushes by the European white gaze. Considering how these brands hijack and siphon from Black American culture and money, more representation is needed.

How do you guys feel? Are there any American black models that I’m missing or that may be under the radar?

 

[charmedp321]

My initial post was inspired by this post on Twitter. If you think about It, this is happening across so many different industries. The main focus of the black demo of music, movies, tv, fashion, food, health are all starting to be represented by non black Americans.

 

[Summer Day]

I saw the above video yesterday so it’s funny you’ve created this thread. I’ve asked this question as well. The industry seems hyper focused on one type of black beauty, which you pointed out above. It feels as if they’re doing a courtesy by focusing on this one type, which seems reminiscent of the Brazilian or Russian wave years back. All these faces are interchangeable and honestly I don’t even know half these girls by name.

The last African american model I can remember breaking through other than Precious Lee, is Slick Woods who was years prior to Precious. I would like to think I’m wrong because Slick debuted almost 10 years ago, but I cannot think of anyone else.

 

[Isami]

It is very obvious by now that the MAIN focus for black representation in the modeling industry has been the dark skin African beauty. Since the rise of Adut A. & Anok Y., every brand, agency, and photographer seem to only want to push this look. The Afro-Latin trend is still hanging on as well which was popularized by Lineisy M.

It's curious that you brought this topic to the table since I've been asking myself the same question, but for different reasons. I usually follow what's happening with the Elite Model Look competition, and this trend has been present there too. Laetitia Ky won in 2019, and her career is now on another path. Later, in 2022, Majda John Peter started big but then kind of disappeared, and Ajus Samuel (also with Elite) 'took her spot.' Last year, Micklate won, and she has already walked for Alaïa and YSL. All of them share the similar features that you mentioned.

Now I can think of Ali Dansky, who is Black and American (and she was also part of the EML contest), but even though she is working with several brands, I feel she is not even close to being well-known yet.

And yes, models from Latin America (besides Brazil) are continuously ignored by the industry, as always.

 

[woemwoem]

Imaan bucks the trend, but your point/question is legitimate. I thought Sacha Quency would become much bigger than she has but seems to have gotten lost in the trend that you are mentioning. Once upon a time, someone like her would have been torch bearer for Black models. I think we're having a fetishizing of a certain type of Black model at the moment-- dark skinned with pronounced "African" features. We saw it with Asian models and still see it, with girls with slanty, squinty eyes -- sorry it sounds racist, it's not meant to be -- while those with more Euro features are marginalized, Liu Wen and a few others being the exception. It's just part of the institutionalized racism that exists in fashion. There just isn't the room for variety that exists for white models, who can be short, plus sized, have different features, be blonde, brunette, full lipped, thin lipped, round-eyed, squinty eyed, short haired, long haired, curly haired, straight haired, etc.

 

[charmedp321]

Imaan bucks the trend, but your point/question is legitimate. I thought Sacha Quency would become much bigger than she has but seems to have gotten lost in the trend that you are mentioning. Once upon a time, someone like her would have been torch bearer for Black models. I think we're having a fetishizing of a certain type of Black model at the moment-- dark skinned with pronounced "African" features. We saw it with Asian models and still see it, with girls with slanty, squinty eyes -- sorry it sounds racist, it's not meant to be -- while those with more Euro features are marginalized, Liu Wen and a few others being the exception. It's just part of the institutionalized racism that exists in fashion. There just isn't the room for variety that exists for white models, who can be short, plus sized, have different features, be blonde, brunette, full lipped, thin lipped, round-eyed, squinty eyed, short haired, long haired, curly haired, straight haired, etc.

All good points you made at the end. Also, Imaan isn’t American. And Sacha Q. Is from the UK. I thought she was going to have a similar career to Joan Smalls. Idk what’s happening there. There are so many amazing models that have gotten lost in this trend.

 

[charmedp321]

It's curious that you brought this topic to the table since I've been asking myself the same question, but for different reasons. I usually follow what's happening with the Elite Model Look competition, and this trend has been present there too. Laetitia Ky won in 2019, and her career is now on another path. Later, in 2022, Majda John Peter started big but then kind of disappeared, and Ajus Samuel (also with Elite) 'took her spot.' Last year, Micklate won, and she has already walked for Alaïa and YSL. All of them share the similar features that you mentioned.

Now I can think of Ali Dansky, who is Black and American (and she was also part of the EML contest), but even though she is working with several brands, I feel she is not even close to being well-known yet.

And yes, models from Latin America (besides Brazil) are continuously ignored by the industry, as always.

Ali is American, but her roots are Afghani

 

[charmedp321]

I saw the above video yesterday so it’s funny you’ve created this thread. I’ve asked this question as well. The industry seems hyper focused on one type of black beauty, which you pointed out above. It feels as if they’re doing a courtesy by focusing on this one type, which seems reminiscent of the Brazilian or Russian wave years back. All these faces are interchangeable and honestly I don’t even know half these girls by name.

The last African american model I can remember breaking through other than Precious Lee, is Slick Woods who was years prior to Precious. I would like to think I’m wrong because Slick debuted almost 10 years ago, but I cannot think of anyone else.

You said a word about knowing their names. I do not know most of these girls names anymore

 

[vogue22]

Imaan bucks the trend, but your point/question is legitimate. I thought Sacha Quency would become much bigger than she has but seems to have gotten lost in the trend that you are mentioning. Once upon a time, someone like her would have been torch bearer for Black models. I think we're having a fetishizing of a certain type of Black model at the moment-- dark skinned with pronounced "African" features. We saw it with Asian models and still see it, with girls with slanty, squinty eyes -- sorry it sounds racist, it's not meant to be -- while those with more Euro features are marginalized, Liu Wen and a few others being the exception. It's just part of the institutionalized racism that exists in fashion. There just isn't the room for variety that exists for white models, who can be short, plus sized, have different features, be blonde, brunette, full lipped, thin lipped, round-eyed, squinty eyed, short haired, long haired, curly haired, straight haired, etc.

Sacha Quenby is literally one of the biggest models of the past 5 years, just because she isn't a big social media girl like Anok doesn't mean she isn't extremely successful, sometimes being under the radar is better for longevity in a model's career.

 

[Ninocka98]

I agree — most of the black girls look alike, and it’s hard to tell them apart. Maybe the problem is in the selection — there just isn’t enough variety. Back in 90s and 00s when there were few black girls, you can tell who is who, but now they all look same with short haircut. There is only one Adut, one Anok, one Imaan…

 

[Simera]

Are we not counting Anok? Ik she wasn’t born in the US but she grew up and was raised in New Hampshire, USA.

Aker Ajak is American, though she was a blip.

 

[Cute]

I believe Amina Ahmed is American?

 

[tomtakesphotos]

I miss Mimi Roche and Jaunel Mckenzie, who is Caribbean which is part of North America so I'm counting here as American. Both would have had way different careers IMO if they had started as 18 yr olds say right now vs when they did. Both are incredibly unique to any other girl we see lately, it definitely feels with black models since the post skinny/all white era the girls who make it big fit into like 1 of 2 categories and it's boring.

source: tumblr

 

[Simera]

I think Charmedp321 means just from the USA, otherwise if we say North America, Awar is the star.
Though I think he also is referring to non-African featured girls, like the South Sudanese ethnicity girls, so Mimi who is from the US and Jaunel would count as to what I assume he is referring to.

But I noticed that even girls like Sacha and Annemary who have longer hair ( As he mentioned ' African models tend to have short hair, which makes It easy for inexperienced hairstylist to work with their texture' which again I assume means he is also talking about girls with longer hair ) usually have it slicked back in a ponytail. Which would make me question why aren't there more hairstylists in fashion who can work with black girls hair? It's 2025.

Again, I can be totally off base!

 

[mepps]

The OP said, where are the Black American models? And people are in here listing everyone, except Black American models.
Black Americans are a a distinct ethnicity, with a distinct culture, developed in the United States, over 400 years. We are not African, Brazilian, Caribbean, European, or from anywhere outside of the United States. We are descended from enslaved Africans, brought here centuries ago. I can trace my own lineage back to the 1600's. Black people are not the same.

 

[Simera]

I think people don't get that he meant USA as America.

But there are really aren't many working atm

- Anok Yai ( dark skinned African look )
- Amina Ahmed ( dark skinned African look )
- Aker Ajak( dark skinned African look )
- Selena Forrest

With his hair and dark skin tone comment, I think he means Tyra type girls ( which is only really like Sascha and Annemary - non American )
And he said Ali Dansky doesn't count as she's Afghani.

Which based on his posts leaves only... Selena Forrest ( Everyone's favorite girl LOL )
BUT then he said Binx is biracial, so Selena could be as well, making it no one?

Too bad Majesty Amare vanished.

The current American girls who are making it big are all white girls.

 

[charmedp321]

Anok claims her Sudanese back round, and also her look is in line with the current.

I was referring to descendants of foundational black americans. Those with no lineage to the Caribbean or South/Central America or Africa.

Examples of models like this would be: Mimi Roche, Beverly Johnson, Riley Montana, Veronica Webb, Tyson Beckford, Chanel Iman, Tyra Banks.

I also brought up this topic because it’s happening across all industries right now. I’ve noticed this shift of black Americans being pushed out by our international counterparts in the media. Think about most of the upcoming actors, musicians, and models that are being pushed right now. Tyla, Ayo Edebiri, Cynthia Erivo, Coleman Domingo…It’s just something I’m noticing.

 

[BalkaniStaCouture]

Joan Smalls is from Puerto Rico, still American!!!