In April of 2008 the much touted Vogue Italia came out with the "Black Issue". Well that caused some tongue wagging from one side of the industry about how it was just as 'racist' to have an all black issue as it was to have all white runways and magazine shoots. The funny thing is there were additional printings of that issue and I was well into the issue (about 120 pages) before I saw the first black face. It wasn't about freezing any particular group out of the industry. It was a statement of what was happening in the industry. It was a notice to the industry that they were not only banishing some women and making it hard for them to make a living but they were losing a portion of the population that did not relate to being tall, waifish and Eastern European.
Of course the American fashion mags weighed in and posed questions such as 'who is to blame'? Well I have a suggestion. The editors of the fashion magazines control the content of the magazines. Maybe they should assume some of the responsibility. I heard comments that it would be harder to sell clothing if the models were women of color. Why is that? I am buying the garment not the model. They all possess the same body type so the garments don't hang differently. Also, what is the equivalent of "tech week" for a show is conducted in the fashion world and each garment is fitted to a specific model. They don't just randomly run back stage and grab a dress.
The April 2008 Vogue Italia did accomplish its goal. There have been many more black models on the runways in Europe and here in America. However, the American runways are still spotty. I think it is a bit of backlash because a discriminatory practice was pointed out and there is such stigma assigned to being discriminatory or racist or bigoted.
Now, this last act by French Vogue is just beyond explanation. It isn't that they could not have found a black model so it had to be that they did not want one. The question is why? The issue itself is about supermodels. How strange that not one black supermodel appears in or is mention in the spread. They do exist. If you doubt me here are a few names you may recognize. Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Iman, Alek Wek, Liya Kebede, Chanel Iman and Jourdan Dunn would all classify as supermodels. We can even go back to Beverly Johnson and those who worked with her in the days when fashion was glamorous and wonderful. Instead of using one of these women they pick Lara Stone, a Dutch woman, and put her in full body makeup to make her appear black.
Okay, if it was something artistic it missed the mark for me. If it was a joke, I didn't get it. To me the look is not only offensive, it is freaky. The French certainly should know better. Even if they didn't the photographer is an American. He certainly knew it was in bad taste and offensive at best and derogatory and racist at worst.
Should he have refused to do the shoot? I can't make that call. He is in business to make money. I understand doing things that stick in your craw. You buck up and get it over with. He was contracted to do the shoot and that is what he did. I am certain that Meisel did not develop the concept. That would be like blaming Demarchelier for Galliano's decision to paint all of his models blue or yellow or orange for a runway show. Patrick simply shot the photos.
I know that apologies will never be made to the black supermodels for the slight they have suffered. That slight is not recognizing them as the supermodels they are. They have earned that status and recognition. I wish they had been included. It would have been a great boost to the self-esteem of many young black women and girls world-wide.
As a black American woman who spends a great deal of time in Paris, I can tell you that each of these women is greatly respected and they do get work. I can also tell you that this is the dismissive attitude of the French. I can already envision that disinterested shrug that is so classically given when the French are thinking 'so what'. It will be interesting to see if American Vogue has any comments or response. I am not holding my breath for that either. After all the response to Italian Vogue's black issue was the editorial asking who is to blame.
It is very interesting. I have discovered in writing this post that the offense I feel is not really that Lara Stone was painted black. I am offended that Naomi Campbell, Alek Wek, et. al. were not given the opportunity to do the spread. If you really look at the garments they would have been amazing on Alek Wek or Chanel Iman. It would be really awesome to see an 'African Queen' portrayed by a woman of African descent. It is not my dismay of the industry resorting to 'black face'. It is my desire to be see 'me' in the industry. Black women are not invisible and we do not result in diminished sales for design labels.
And now an additional question. Given the visceral response to having a model in 'black face', what if French Vogue was afraid of having me equally offended if they had selected a black model to depict an African Queen? I am not defending them for their decision. I am simply willing to state that I do not know their intentions in doing this.
I hope the editors of French Vogue feel that the controversy deserves discussion and that a dialogue ensues. I am willing and will happily participate in that dialogue. If we never converse with each other we will continue to talk at each other. That is sad because if we are talking at each other, no one is heard and no one feels understood. It is time for the industry to enter into that dialogue.
a la prochaine
Debra
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