13p4 - 2 1/4 in / 15p9 Bebas Neve and Bleeding Cowboys
blacks in Fashion
MAKING A FASHION STATEMENT Black Models on the Runway
9
New York City, London, Milan and Paris are the major fashion capitals of the world. These cities show the world what’s “in” and “out” for every season. Blogs, news outlets and social
Darrilyn Fisher networking sites are saturated
with talk about the latest trends being showcased during Fashion Week. These trends are regarded as the top tier of style and serve as beacons of trendiness for the rest of society. Fashion Week is an exciting time of the year for the! world, especially for designers and the lucky few who are chosen to model. Anyone can model, right? Wrong! People must recognize that of the models who wear the exquisite and meticulously created clothing down the runway, Blacks and other models of color are not an ideal medium. Instead, blonde hair, blue-eyed models dominate the runway as designers, producers and creative directors create concepts to cater to their consumers. According to a report from Jezebel.com, New York’s recent Fashion Week boasted 4,657 opportunities for female models to be used. 82.4 percent of these opportunities were given to white models while Black models were only used for 8.5 percent of the spots. Asian and Latina models were used for a combined 8.8 percent. What do these statistics reveal about the present diversity in fashion? It is relatively nonexistent on the biggest stage for fashion in North America. It is probable that Blacks, Asians and Latinas are viewed simply as exotic entities and that keeps models of color from working during large scale fashion events. Kanye West revealed his preference for white models when he debuted his new Dw by Kanye West Spring/Summer 2012 line at Paris Fashion Week with only a sprinkle of Black and Asian models, including Chanel Iman gracing the runway. And even his inclusion of Chanel Iman warrants a little skepticism amid the rumors that the two engaged in a romantic relationship at some point. If minority designers and artists like Kanye do not understand the importance of using their platform to advance the minority image, where does this leave the minority community in high fashion? Are we only capable of showcasing our talents on BET’s Rip the Runway and other less respected outlets – ones that do not influence the global fashion industry? Fashion Week leaves with that exact impression and tells the world what’s “in” and “out” for the season. However, people cannot be content with the elusive statement that minority models are not “in-style.” Minorities must take action to be awarded equal opportunities so that images of Blacks, Asians and Latinas in fashion, and other facets of entertainment, will not continue to be controlled by the mainstream majority. Only then will the objectification and marginalization of these communities cease on and off the catwalk.