I have yet to experience a Fashion Week event in any of the host cities in New York, L.A., Paris or Milan, but I have noticed one thing that they all have in common: a lack of Black models in runway shows.
In the 90's, the likelihood of seeing Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks and before that Iman and Beverly Johnson sashaying down the catwalk was commonplace. Now, that the veterans are businesswomen and have retired from the runway, with the exception of Naomi and Alek Wek, the faces you see on the runaway are mainly White.
In a recent New York Times article on the sad occurence,former Covergirl BethAnn Hardison has brought the issue to the forefront by challenging today's designers about incorporating more Black models into their shows.
The excuses from the designers ranged from "Oh, we already have our Black girl," to the designers calling agencies during a go-see and telling agents that they had no intention of using a Black model. Call it blatant racism, but it seems to not have been labeled yet, but more understood.
When did the whitewashing of the runways happen? Recently, I watched the BET reality show, Baldwin Hills, where Gerren, one of the teens who was dubbed the next Naomi Campbell from Oprah Winfrey once, had a striking look, I haven't seen in a while.
I have yet to see her in recent fashion shows, and the publicity from the show should have been enough.
It is discouraging to know that as an African-American female, that if I were to visit any Fashion Week show, say a Tracy Reese show, whose designs I adore, it would be a slap in the face not to see any Black models in her show. Not saying that because she is a Black designer, she is obligated to have a mixture of models, but if I see a design, I would like to see a body type like mine modeling the design.
It makes sense to me. But, what is going on in the current state the fashion industry does not.
