SS 2014 shows have commenced in Paris and one runway has caused quite a stir. 4 black models were reported to have featured and this has sparked yet another conversation regarding the lack of diversity on the runway and in the fashion industry as a whole. Race in the European fashion industry has always been a cause for concern. What does a move really say about the state of fashion today? Will this be a step in a new and permanent era in fashion or is this just another one-off 'are you happy now' stunt to keep spectators from talking? Lets see...
In July 2008 Vogue Italia released the famous Black Issue featuring 'all black' models within the fashion industry. Weirdly their were ad campaigns featuring all white models but the magazine was both a failure and a success. It was a success because Vogue Italia showcased the beauty of the brown skin tone and the many shades that it comes in, but it failed in showing real diversity and I felt as though it had played on the 'black and white' concept, a concept that has been overly played out. Though there was much demand for the issue this clearly is not just a black and white issue racial. There is more to this world than just African/American (America as a continent) and Europe population there is a plethora of ethnicities, skin tones, races and features on this planet. There is a lack of representation of women of all parts of this world so can it not be said, seeing as fashion companies such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton have such a strong global recognition, that Fashion Houses have an implied responsibility to showcase a true representation of today's woman? Their ad campaigns are seen everywhere, the race of the models most frequently (Caucasian) used are the minority of the world's global population so why do we not have more Asian, African, Caribbean, Middle Eastern models in the fashion industry?
On the other hand, I always say THIS IS EUROPE, these are European brands and they have a strong European/ Western audience (a white audience if I can be frank) so they are going to create ads that appeal to their customer. Take L'Oreal for example, I worked with their hair products for years during my days as a hair stylist and their products work just as well on my hair (afro hair) as they did on my clients' hair (European). So much so that they developed Mizani exclusively for afro hair. Their regular and professional line ads always feature white women, with the exception of Beyoncé, who by the way had a weave. But you never see any Black or Asian models advertise their hair lines only white. It was said that this is a marketing strategy. If they advertise a hair product with a Black or Asian woman their white audience would not think that particular product was made for them. Which is understandable for a Black woman but not for an Asian, because Asian woman and white women have very similar hair. Nevertheless this brands and products were formulated mostly by the people who use it Europeans so it is expected that they will use more European looking models than any other. But I still maintain that there should be a real representation in fashion.
The arguments from some casting directors on body type and attitude was whispering denial in a way. I am a black, African, Caribbean, Latino [however you want to identify me] woman and I have always been teased about my weight or rather the lack of it. The misconception that all 'black' girls have curvy bodies is one that I have to live up to everyday and I for one cannot see myself getting bigger any time soon. So to say that a particular race has a particular body type or character or anything is falling a bit short as a reason and more in to the realm of an excuse.
I cannot see any change or improvement in the current state of the racial runway. Logistically and socially it seems a bit far fetched however there was a change is the face of the runway I am sure that it will be a full breath of fresh air for many. In a world filled with fraud, Photo Shop and racism I'd prefer to keep my race and my culture represented by people that actually are educated in what extent black beauty goes to or what how and when it should be projected. The fashion industry, on the face of it, is very.. moulded so what true representation can really stem from racial diversity on the runway? (again Photo Shop).
Thanks for reading!
Shanice Goodridge for TFT
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