Despite it being Black History Month and all the attention on the ny fashion week runways, little has changed. After crunching the numbers on 148 shows, it is reported that of 4,621 looks, only 985 were worn by models of color. That means that of all the models who walked this past week, 78.69% of them were white. While that number is slightly smaller than last season, it still hovers around 80 percent, which has been roughly the percentage of looks worn by white models for the past six seasons.
another low-blow was the March 2014 issue of Details Magazine featuring the top male models and no one of color was included.
When i was growing up in the 80's and 90's ELLE Magazine was my first choice when i could get the money up to buy a fashion magazine. It was one of the few magazines that i could find that displayed a broad diverse beauty. they thought of its readers on a global scale.
What i don't understand is that its 2014 and we live in a global accessible world and we are still fighting for diverse representation in the fashion world. Why is it so hard to see a broader representation of beauty? Back in the 80's and 90's ELLE Magazine did an excellent job of showcasing women of color instead of treating European standards of beauty like its the template of beauty. Back then diversity seemed effortless. Now it seems so deliberate and forced.
I would love to see the industry showcase broader ideas of beauty in a seamless way that feels genuine.... WHY IS DIVERSITY SO HARD?
One of the must see fashion shows during New York fashion week back in 1995 was Todd Oldham. He was notorious for featuring a variety of the best models and they were a diverse mix that didn't seem forced. They looked like the graduating class of the most beautiful women in the world.
also check out fashion designer Azzedine Alaia who has always showcased diverse beauty.......
