Vogue unveils the new black

Published on Saturday 21 June 2008 19:49

ALARMED by the lack of ethnic minority models on the catwalk, Vogue Italia will feature black models almost exclusively in the July issue of what's often called the most influential fashion magazine in the world.

"This idea came about as a reaction to the models of today," Franca Sozzani, Vogue Italia's editor, said. "I go to a fashion show and every girl is blond and blue-eyed and they all walk the same and look the same.

"I thought we needed to break away from this type of thing. There are so many beautiful black women not being used."

Sozzani said the time also seemed right for an all-black issue, with Barack Obama being the first black presidential nominee in the United States.

Although some editors might argue that black faces didn't sell at the newsstand, said Sozzani, "we sell the same amount if we have Naomi Campbell on the cover".

Steven Meisel was hired to photograph only black models for the issue. All the faces are black, and all the feature topics relate to black women in the arts and entertainment.

"I thought, it's ridiculous, this discrimination," said Meisel, at his Los Angeles home. "It's so crazy to live in such a narrow, narrow place. Age, weight, sexuality, race – every kind of prejudice."

He began casting in March. "I love the history of fashion, obviously, and I love old, and I tried to get as many of the older girls as I could," he said.

Meisel's pictures – of models including Campbell, Iman, Tyra Banks, Jourdan Dunn, Liya Kebede, Alek Wek, Pat Cleveland, Karen Alexander – have a heightened sense of glamour. According to the model Veronica Webb, who first worked with Meisel 20 years ago: "It's the darkest studio, like a studio at MGM."

Meisel has his own theories about why black models, save for the token few, have disappeared from runways. "Perhaps the designers, perhaps the magazine editors," he said.

"They are the powerful people. And the advertisers. I have asked my advertising clients so many times, 'Can we use a black girl?' They say no." The concern is that consumers will resist the product, he said. "It all comes down to money." Vogue Italia's move is even more surprising given frequent claims that Italy – like many European societies – suffers more than its fair share of racism.

The influx of illegal and legal immigrants across the Mediterranean, many from central Africa, and from eastern Europe, has inflamed matters.

And, after hundreds of white models appeared at London Fashion Week earlier this year -– and only a few black models – the British press asked whether racism was stalking the catwalk.

British designer Vivienne Westwood went so far as to demand a quota system to force fashion magazines to use more black models.

David Wolfe, creative director at Doneger Group, a New York fashion consultancy, said that while more Asian models were being used in fashion shows, black models were still rare.

"Today Caucasian models – especially Russians and middle Europeans – are in the greatest demand. Of course there are a few stellar exceptions, but models like Naomi Campbell are certainly the exception and not the rule."

Wolfe said Vogue Italia's initiative was important because of the magazine's great influence within the fashion industry.

One of Britain's leading model agents, Carole White, co-founder of Premier Model Management, has spoken out repeatedly against colour prejudices in the fashion industry.

She said that one reason for the decline in the use of black models might be the collapse of former Eastern-bloc countries, which led to a new "waif" look fuelled by an influx of white, bland, and very skinny girls.

Another problem was that photographers still didn't always know how to correctly light black skin, she said.

White called Vogue Italia's move "fantastic."

She said the magazine was "making the changes happen that are so necessary".

Perhaps no individual model will know what it means to be included in the Vogue Italia issue more than Sessilee Lopez. Last year, she barely worked. Ashley Brokaw, an independent casting agent in New York, predicts that after insiders see Meisel's pictures, she will have a terrific season.

This perplexes and delights Meisel."Here's this exquisite girl," he said. "What don't you get? She's a beautiful woman. There was no trick to it."